How Helga Learned . . .

"I want to go to the library," six year old Helga said.

"Not right now, Helga honey, I just . . ." Miriam put her head back down on the table and went back to sleep. Helga frowned then went to find her father.

"Daddy, can you take me to the library?" she asked.

"Huh? What's that?" He asked, not even looking away from the T.V.

"The library," she repeated.

"Not now Olga,"

"It's Helga dad,"

"Right, right. I'm busy. Go read something from your mum's room or Olga's. CRIMINY! WHAT IS THIS MORON DOING!" he shouted at the T.V.

Helga stood there for a second then turned and went upstairs. She stood in front of Olga's door for a second then reached out and touched the door handle. Did she dare enter the sacred space that was her sister's room?

Yes. Yes she did. And she entered.

Her sister's room was as immaculate as always. Perfume and makeup neatly on her dressing table, bed neatly made. Books neatly placed on the bookcase in order of size. Helga made her way over to it and looked at the titles. She pulled out a book then noticed there was an other behind it. She pulled it out then looked again as another book fell down. She pulled out more books to find a stash of books hidden behind the front row. Why would her sister hide books?

She looked at the title in her hands. 'Lolita'. She turned it over and read the back. Her eyes widened a little and then she put it on the floor beside her. She picked up another. 'The Life and Times of Fanny Hill'. She took out more. 'Lady Chatterly's Lover', 'Peyton Place', 'The Song of the Red Ruby' and lastly 'The Well of Lonliness'. Helga looked at the books in front of her. There must have been a reason for her hiding them. And she couldn't wait to read them and find out what…