Look who goes there! It’s Faye Rhodes. Wait, you don’t know who she is? the 51 year old librarian at Central Library has been in town for like, 20 years. I believe they live in Culver’s Point, but I usually see them around Parker’s Bluff. They can be a bit eccentric’s, but I think being observant kinda balances them out, you know?
Bio (death, divorce, emotional abuse tw)
If you ask Faye what her childhood was like, she would say ‘happy’ because that’s what it was. She had her older sister who was her role model and two adoring parents. While their parents were “odd,” their father was a salesman (cars, carpets, you name it he could sell it) and their mother worked at a petting zoo, they were present and supportive of their whims. Faye remembers being allowed to draw on her bedroom walls and to hang curtains from the bottom bunk to make a princess bed. Her imagination, fueled by books, was allowed to run free.
With Faye and Claudia being only four years apart, wherever Claudia went Faye wasn’t too far behind – that was until Claudia went to college. The adjustment was difficult for Faye at first, but by the time winter break came around, Faye found herself surrounded by a new group of friends. These friends weren’t quite as nice as the ones Claudia made, and Faye found herself in a rougher crowd for a few years.
It was a surprise when Faye found herself in college by the skin of her teeth. The change in setting did a world of good for Faye, but just when she began to find herself again, her future husband came in like a hurricane.
She loved Matthew with everything she had and he took everything from her in return. Slowly, Faye became a husk of herself. She did whatever she could to stay under the radar in her marriage. The less attention she drew, the better for her and her kids.
She hates looking back on that time in her life and hates that she only woke up from it when Claudia passed away. Call it a reminder of one’s mortality and the fragility of life, but it was after the funeral that Faye felt the urge to change her life.
Faye left her husband twenty years ago with both kids in tow. It was not an easy change, but she believes it saved her life. Maplebrook became home quickly and after a few years the kids found their footing, too. While the divorce was long and contentious, Matthew eventually gave her what she wanted: full custody. She never looked back.
Faye’s son and daughter are all grown up now. While a part of her wonders if they ever forgave her for uprooting them from their childhood home and their father, she likes to think they have. They may not call or visit as often as she would like, but they do call and visit when they can, so maybe she did something right? Either way, as Faye gets closer and closer to retiring from the Central Library, she wonders what’s next. A part of her thinks it’s time to find someone to take under her wing and to give them a second chance.
