We Who Are Jaded

Chapter Five

"Would you believe me if I said I felt a little out of place here?" I asked as we ventured into yet another room. If not for the new wonders that lay inside, I could have sworn I was in some never ending de ja vu of walking into rooms I was sure I'd only just walked out of. At least the clear bewilderment on my face was providing some strange form of entertainment for my hosts.

"Everything's so old but it all looks so new," I said, brushing my fingertips across a globe sat upon a mahogany desk. I smiled bittersweetly, inspecting the names of places I could only dare  dream of going.

"Time makes magnificent of the most unremarkable of things." There was a look of blissful contentment on Jessia's face as she returned a book to its proper place. "In 1707 that globe would have been nothing more than a common object – for aristocracy at least. Funny, education remains a privildge even today. Time doesn't change everything it seems," Jessica mumbled. I took my finger gingerly from the globe's surface, afraid it would turn into dust beneath my fingertips.

"Don't worry, that old thing is actually quite sturdy. Andrea says the boys enjoy playing catch with it from time to time...they do what with my globe?"

Andrea wiggled her fingers in a reply filled with mischief and inhabition despite the venom in Jessica's face.

"Well isn't it a shame they abolished the death penalty," Jessica murmured, rubbing between her fingers dust I couldn't see. Though amusing, I dared not laugh at the irony. Andrea continued to move her fingers in ways I didn't even know were possible. "Well, we shall see about that," Jessica continued.  

The fludity of conversation was disarming, both something joyous and isolating. I wished I could understand and communicate but I was dumb and somehow ashamed because of it.

"Don't worry Christine, if Andrea could teach Mack sign language she could teach anyone." I squinted, further confused by Jessica's perceptiveness. It appeared there was nothing to be kept from those sharp indigo eyes. She'd finished putting a pile of books away and contined to observe me. "Would you like to see more? The common study isn't very exciting." She gestured around with narrow, pale fingers to what lay beyond.

"I would love to see more but I disagree with you, I think everything in your house is fascinating," I confessed, following both Andrea and Jessica as they exited. The pair glanced at one another with gentle sadness.

"I guess not everything is made to shine by time. Oh for the days of novelty." Jessica sighed before  once again rubbing her fingertips together as if they were dirty. "Hmm...I think I'll give that room a clean later," Jessica mumbled to herself.

But her idea of time causing things to lose their sparkle distracted me from proceeding. I stopped short as they continued onwards.

After a while would I cease to sparkle? Would I become as an artefact; a reminder of once happy times and nothing more? Jessica turned to confront me as if she heard my thoughts, a firm line forming on her lips.

"Not all things do lose their shine Chris, especially not in the eye of the beholder." Then swiftly she turned and guided me down the corridor and back to the central stairs. In some blink of an eye when I had been preoccupied, Andrea had taken her leave. I frowned.

"Andrea had business to attend to, she said she would see you at dinner," Jessica said. "Now, I think you'll like upstairs, if you'll just follow me." I had to give Jessica credit, she was as skilled at topical transitioning as she was at mind reading. But I wasn't going to question how one aquired such talents, content to meekly follow her up the staircase.

The reflections of the stained glass window tainted my skin shades of blue and yellow and red. It was a peculiar addition to the house and from close up I couldn't decide what was depicted within it. There was something sacred to be found in it but I hadn't been to frequently enough to tell you what. If it held some significance, Jessica didn't appear inclined to share and I wasn't inclined to ask.