The Midnight Library

When Nora next returns to the library, it is dark. She explains to Mrs. Elm that she no longer feels anything when experiencing different versions of her life. Mrs. Elm says that Nora has become lost because she’s still trying to live for other people. Moreover, Nora must remember what she enjoyed about her root life. Nora recalls kindness as something she cherished in her root life—especially kindness from Mrs. Elm and Ash. As the lights come back on in the library, Nora determines to experience a life in which she said yes when Ash asked her to have coffee with him.

Nora awakes in another life and immediately notices that she’s tired. She’s sleeping next to a man she hopes is Ash and, when he eventually stirs, happily confirms that it is in fact Ash. When she tiptoes from the room to investigate her new life, she runs into a frightened little girl: her daughter. The little girl is afraid of bears and wants Nora to comfort her. Nora doesn’t want to help the child initially because she feels guilty—this isn’t her life, so feelings and connections can complicate things—but Nora accompanies the child to the girl’s bedroom so that Ash doesn’t wake up.