Rob stood, with his hand still extended, frozen.  He opened his mouth, but could not think of a single thing to say.

       Then, Paddytum's voice, in his head: ''Story Time.''

     What did that mean?  Did the bear want him to make something up?  He dropped his hand, which had started to shake.

     ''Story Time, Robert.  Look!  Look at the poster!''  The bear sounded excited and impatient.   He looked through the window, and at the notice board inside the library.   He understood.  But he hoped Paddytum didn't mean what he thought he did.

    ''Oh.'' he said.  He looked at Rachel, who had picked Paddytum up and was studying the bear's face, as if he would tell her what was going on.

      ''Story Time.''  he said.  Rachel looked at him, her eyebrow raised. 

     ''Sorry?''

    ''Well, I noticed that you have Story Time for Toddlers on  Tuesday and Thursday mornings.'' he said, pointing at the poster,and then at Paddytum, who was now being cuddled by Rachel.  ''This is Pad- umm...Ferdinand.  I brought him along in case I could do something... umm, with him, at that.''   He couldn't quite believe what he was suggesting.  He doubted that Rachel would be convinced, either.  After all, he'd just told her about his shyness problem.   She looked doubtful. 

     ''You mean, tell them a story, and use the bear as a sort of... prop?''  Rob nodded, slowly, really hoping she'd turn him down.

      She sat down again, at the desk, with Paddytum on her lap, peeping over the top,and seeming to Rob to be daring him.

      ''Well, it's probably a silly idea.  Forget I said it.'' said Rob.

     ''No, it's not silly at all, Robert,'' said Rachel.  ''But do you think you could do it?''  She looked at her watch.  ''We've got a session today, starting in about half an hour.  Do you have something in mind?''

     Rob was about to say no, when Paddytum spoke again.

     ''Yes.  You do.  Well, I do,anyway.  Say yes.  Trust me.'' 

      Rachel was waiting for his reply.  Her face gave nothing away.  Was she teasing him?  Trying to catch him out?  He was willing to trust Paddytum, but he needed some time alone with him.

     ''Yes, I sort of... do.  But, I need to sort of... work something out.  On my own.  Rehearse, sort of thing.''   He had serious doubts.  He wished he could just go home, but if he did, he knew he'd be nagged and lectured at by the bear for the rest of the day.  For the rest of his life, probably.  To carry on with this... farce, seemed the lesser of two evils. 

     ''Well, there's our staffroom, if you'd like a short time in there.  You can get yourself a coffee, too, if you like.''  said Rachel, standing.  She opened her office door,and went out into the library, still clutching Paddytum to her chest.  She stopped at the desk, to murmur a few words to one of her colleagues, a stern-looking bespectacled woman.  The woman looked at Rob over the top of her glasses, then nodded at him.  Rob gave a little wave, and she frowned at him.  He mentally kicked himself.  This was going to end in tears.  He was sure of it.  Rachel walked into the children's section of the library,and picked up a small pile of large-format picture books from the table, and put them under one arm.

     He followed Rachel down a short corridor, and into a little room which was furnished with two small sofas and a low table.  To the side was a work top, and a sink.  On the worktop was a tray with a kettle, a few mugs, a jar of coffee, and a box of tea bags. 

    ''Help yourself to a drink.  Milk's in the fridge.  Sorry, there's no sugar.  None of us take it.''  said Rachel.  She pointed to a small fridge, under the worktop. 

    ''That's all right.  Neither do I.'' said Rob.  And I wouldn't have the co-ordination to make a cup of coffee anyway, he thought.

     Rachel put the picture books on the table.  ''Have a look through those, and pick one or two you and... Ferdinand... would like to read to the children.''  She looked at her watch again.  ''I'll come and get you in, say... twenty minutes?  Would that be okay?''

    ''Yeah.  Yes, fine.'' said Rob.  Rachel handed Paddytum back to him, then left, closing the door behind her.  Rob dumped Paddytum on one of the sofas, and grabbed a mug, which he filled with water from the cold tap.  He was suddenly parched.  He drank the mug of water, then filled it again,and started pacing up and down.  The urge to run out of the room, past the library staff, and all the way home, leaving the damn bear here, was strong.

     ''Robert.  Sit down,'' said Paddytum.  ''We don't have very long.  We can do this.  Trust me.''

    Rob sat, putting the mug on the table.  ''Trust you?  Trust you? Trust you to make a complete ass of myself, you mean.''  He sighed, and put his head in his hands, mumbling, ''I don't want to do this, Paddytum.  Please don't make me.''

     ''It'll be fine.  I want to try something.  Put me on your lap.''  Rob did.  ''Now, put your hands either side of my head.''  Rob obeyed.

    ''Now, empty your mind.''  Rob took his hands off the bear's head.  ''Oh, come on!  What are you going to do?  Hypnotise me?''

    ''No.  better than that.'' said Paddytum, cheerfully.  ''Put your hands back on my head, and visualise a dark space.'' 

     Not expecting anything, Rob put his hands just under Paddytum's ears.  He felt very stupid.  A picture of Mr Spock popped into his head, doing a soft-toy version of the Vulcan mind-meld.  He tried to make his mind go blank, but the Star Trek image came back,and he giggled.

     ''Robert!  You're not trying.'' said Paddytum,

    ''Sorry.  It's just so silly, though.  Okay.  I'll try, really hard.''  He took his hands away, then placed them back on each side of Paddytum's head.  He imagined a white wall.  Pure white, going on for miles.  Nothing but white.

   Then Paddytum spoke.  And something amazing happened.

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Rob is based on someone I used to know, who still lived with his parents in early middle-age, and was very unhappy. I don't believe he had a bear, but maybe it would take an experience like this to shake him out of his rut.

NB. The romance category is deliberate. But I think it will be a few chapters before that can be explored.

Paddytum/Ferdinand has his work cut out, I think.

Although I've added the humour category, it's really meant to be mainly a serious story, as the main protagonist is rather a tragic person. He really is terrified of life, and is waiting for that perfect woman to rescue him, so I think the humour should be gentle, rather than wacky and outrageous.

updated Sep 2 by Tasha_Noble