The Dance of the Keepers

Chapter 10 A Chance Meeting

"Jasper, did you hear anyone outside the door while I was gone?"

"There was some scuffling in the hall about an hour ago, I think it was just our flat mates coming or going."
He replied back, never taking his eyes off of the laptop.

I fingered the note in my hand uneasily.

"Everything alright?"
Jasper asked.

I must have been staring at nothing for quite a while. I waved my free hand and nodded, stuffing the slip of paper into my pocket. I'd promised Jasper we'd keep no secrets, but I'd had enough sharing for one day. Besides, it would likely only worry him as badly as it was worrying me.

"Yeah, what'd you find?"

He patted the stool beside him.

"Lots, though not much of it actually helps us. Let me show you."

****

The mystery of the note kept me up half the night, pondering questions and ideas. Who was this self-named Ghost? What did he want with me? What did his note really mean? Where was I supposed to look to find whatever it was he saying could answer my questions? Having no solutions to the swirling chaos of confusion in my mind nearly drove me up a wall.

I tossed and turned and finally around seven AM, I gave up the pretense of sleep and dragged my tired and irritated self out of bed. I took a cool shower to wake up my senses a bit and then cooked myself as much breakfast as I knew how to, bacon and eggs. I managed to figure out the coffee maker and enjoyed a nice steaming mug of the delicious caffeine with my breakfast, still, however, plagued by thoughts of the note. I was just getting ready to wash my dirty dishes and wondering what I was going to do with myself for the day, when there was a knock at the door.

"Can I help you?"
I asked, pulling the door open a crack.

There was a funny little man standing outside in a crisp black suit with a brief case.

"Wade Denton, at your service Miss."
He said with a stately bow.

"I am here for your dress fitting."

"Oh, yeah, come on in."
I told him unenthusiastically.

The little man snapped his fingers and a gangly boy appeared, lugging an enormous trunk.

"This is my nephew, Thomas. He's my assistant."

I plopped down on the couch, feeling even more irritable than before.

"How long is this going to take?"

"Oh not too terribly long today, it's only the first of several fittings to give you the perfect dress for the Summer Gala."
He answered in an upbeat tone.

I grimaced, first at the mention of multiple fittings and second at the mention of the gala. I'd always avoided large social gatherings, especially ones that involved fancy clothes and dancing.

"So what is it that you're going to do?"
I questioned.

"I'll take your measurements and help you pick out a suitable dress material."

"I hate dresses."

He looked quite surprised by this, but recovered quickly.

"I'm sorry, it's not optional."

I grumbled under my breath but I'd expected as much. Wade went about setting up his portable workshop, ordering his nephew about like a slave boy. I wondered what exactly they were going to force me to wear. It wasn't that I hadn't enjoyed the beautiful clothes Nina had helped me pick out, I just felt so out of place in them. I wasn't the sort of person who was meant to be elegant and refined.