“I’m going to that meeting,” April said. “Whoever this representative is, I’m going to make them understand how important a role the library plays in the community. They can’t just demolish it. They’ve already torn down half of West Heights. Corporations are taking over, people who have lived here for decades are being forced out because rent is too high. I may not be able to save the entire suburb
, but I’m not going to give up on the library.”
“Look, I’ll come to the meeting tonight too,” Lexi said. “But do you really think you can fight a corporation like Oasis?”
“I don’t know, but you bet your ass I’m going to try.”
“I know this place means a lot to you, but you have to be realistic. West Heights has already been changing for years.”
What Lexi was saying was true. Fifty years ago, the historic suburb of West Heights had been mostly working-class families and immigrants. Fifteen years ago, the artists, musicians, and students started moving in. Everyone had quickly learned to coexist, creating a diverse melting pot. But with corporations like Oasis taking over, all of those people would be pushed out, and West Heights would never be the same.
“This is different,” April said. “I’m not going to let West Heights be taken over.”
“Well, no matter what happens, I’ll be there to back you up,” Lexi said.
April settled into her chair. She had to prepare for the meeting. Tonight, April was going to stand before this representative from Oasis Developments and present her case for why the library needed to remain open. She didn’t know if it would make a difference. But one thing was certain.
She wasn’t going down without a fight.
That evening, April left her apartment and headed to the town hall meeting. It was being held in the auditorium of the local high school. She gazed wistfully around at the neighborhood as she walked. This place that she’d called home for so long was changing right before her eyes.
A few people greeted April as they passed her on the street. April had worked at the library for years, so she knew everyone who came in. Most of the community went to the library for one reason or another. To borrow books, to use the computers, to meet up for activities and clubs.
West Heights needed the library. April wasn’t going to let it get torn down.
When April reached the hall, the meeting had just begun. Mayor Collins was speaking on the stage, and a handful of council members were seated behind her. April was surprised that the Mayor had come in person. She was even more surprised that the hall was packed. She’d been to a few of these meetings before when there were matters relating to the library on the agenda, and the room was usually half empty.
It made sense. The library wasn’t the only thing being displaced by Oasis. Not only had Oasis bought the library, but they had also bought all the surrounding apartments and houses. Even a small park, the only one for miles, was on the firing line. Most of the attendees appeared to be older people who had lived in the area their whole lives. They likely felt even more strongly about the changes taking place in their home than April did.
April scanned the seats looking for Lexi’s black curls, which she always wore piled up on her head. Spotting her, April crept down to the aisle and took a seat next to her a couple of rows from the front.
“What did I miss?” she whispered.
“Not much,” Lexi replied. “Collins is talking about new building regulations.”
Mayor Collins was one of April’s least favorite people. It was clear that she cared more about the more affluent parts of the city than West Heights. She was responsible for the funding cuts to the library over the past few years, and she supported all the new developments that were going up around the city, including on Oakmont Street.
Mayor Collins seemed to dislike April just as much as April disliked her. They had clashed a few times over the library, even before Oasis bought the building. April suspected Mayor Collins was glad that it was being shut down.
April tried to settle in and listen to the mayor, but she found herself getting restless. After a sleep-inducing explanation of the height limit changes for new buildings on King Street, Mayor Collins moved on to the final topic of the night.
“Now,” she began. “The main reason I called this meeting was to give everyone a chance to discuss the effects of some of the upcoming development projects on the community. I’ve received a truckload of submissions about the proposed development on Oakmont Street, and I thought it could be helpful to have an open conversation about it. I invited Oasis Developments to join the discussion, and they’ve sent a representative to come speak with us.” The mayor looked down at a sheet of paper in front of her. “She’s the Vice President of Project Development. Hopefully, she will be able to address your concerns.”
April frowned. With a title like that, this woman had to be high up in the chain of command. On one hand, it meant that she was someone who actually had the power to change things. On the other hand, she was probably some stuffy middle-aged woman in a suit who earned more in a day than April did in a month. She couldn’t expect someone like that to be sympathetic to the residents of West Heights.
“Ms. Blake, was it?” Mayor Collins looked down toward someone sitting in the front row.
A tall woman with short blonde hair stood up and walked toward the stage. Her back was to the crowd, her face hidden from view, but the upright, self-confident manner in which she held herself was very familiar to April.
Her stomach dropped. No. It couldn’t be.
The woman climbed the stairs up to the stage and took her place next to the Mayor. “Please,” she said. “Call me Vicki.”
Chapter Five
This is not happening.
April simmered inside. There was no denying it. She had traded her jeans and blazer for a stylish, tailored pantsuit and heels, but otherwise, it was the same Vicki. Suddenly, the room felt too hot.