Chapter 4

4

     Bethany’s funeral was over and Jordan entered her bedroom to change clothes and contemplate what had occurred over the last week. She sat on her bed and strummed her dulcimer, soaking in the soulful tune that the instrument sang out, almost as if it were crying with her. Bethany had loved the dulcimer and she had always encouraged Jordan to practice, begging her to play on a regular basis. Their love of music was just one of the many things they held in common.

     It seemed odd for a 16 year old to have such a strong friendship with a woman in her seventies, but it was a great relationship, one in which Jordan would always cherish.

     Jordan felt something rubbing against her leg, and she bent down to pick up Candles, Bethany’s cat. Since Bethany had no family other than a niece in Seattle, it had seemed like a good idea to keep Candles until the woman could arrive for the reading of the will. Bethany’s only sister had died years ago in an automobile accident and this one niece was her only tie to her sibling. Sadly, the two never really stayed in touch much except for an occasional card or quick phone call. Jordan had never gotten to know the woman, and she wondered what would become of Bethany’s estate once a near stranger took over.

     She held Candles for a while; stroking her and talking to her about all that had happened, and then she put her on the bed and continued changing. She had several emails from friends to catch up on and some school clothes to invest in with school right around the corner. Sadly- yet truly- life had to go on.  

     Days went by and finally the day arrived for the reading of Bethany’s will. Jordan didn’t know why she had to be present, but she had received a letter in the mail from Jared Henson and Sons, a local lawyer’s firm, directing her to attend. She couldn’t possibly begin to guess why she should be there unless maybe Candles would be hers after all.

     Jordan dressed slowly, dreading the long trip into town. Candles slept soundly on her bed and her mother and father bustled through the house getting ready themselves. Since Jordan was a minor, they too had to be present.

     “Hurry up, Jordan. We have to be there in less than an hour!” Her mother yelled from downstairs.

     “Okay, Okay, I’m coming mother.” Jordan sighed as she gave Candles a final pat goodbye and descended the steps.

     Nervous excitement filled Jordan’s thoughts as they drove across the Ohio River and into Cincinnati. Hundreds of people going about daily life kept Jordan’s attention as they weaved through the city, until they arrived at the lawyer’s firm.  She and her family were immediately ushered in to be seated in dark, rich leather chairs. The rich, mahogany office smelled like cigars and leather. Books lined three walls in the room and a huge window displayed the river-front scene like a painting. Sitting across from Jordan was another woman, obviously Bethany’s niece, Sarah.  

Sarah looked nothing in person, like she did in pictures- long brown hair, hazel eyes and a rich, deep tan. The tall woman was very well spoken, although she said little unless spoken to. She paid no attention to Jordan or her parents and sat confidently with her own lawyer at her side.

     “Well, ladies and gentlemen, you know why you are here today,” the lawyer began, a big burly man with bushy black hair and a mustache that twirled out in handlebars. He looked like a circus act more than a lawyer, but his black pinstripe suit must’ve been very expensive because Jordan had heard her father whispering about it as they entered the room.

     “Bethany gave me strict instructions as to who was to be present for the reading of her will. We all know Bethany well enough to agree that what Bethany wanted, she usually got.” He smiled and revealed an even set of white teeth and Jordan almost giggled despite herself. He really did seem to be a nice man overall.

     “Yes, yes, let’s get on with it. I have a plane to catch in two hours,” Sarah snapped, brushing her hair back from her shoulders as she spoke. She was obviously in a big hurry and she seemed quite irritated.

     “Of course,” The lawyer replied, the grin vanishing from his face. “I’ll cut through all the legal mumbo jumbo and just let you know what Bethany has left for each of you,” He said this directing his glance both at Sarah and at Jordan.

     Sarah glanced in Jordan’s direction and gave her a cold stare, then redirected her gaze back toward the lawyer.

     “To Sarah, I leave my estate, to do with as she sees fit. The old car in the garage, and all furnishings in the house except for one. The antique mirror is to go to Jordan Baker. In addition, I bequeath to Jordan, Candles my cat.” As the lawyer finished, he peered up at his audience, looking over his glasses as he spoke, “Any questions or problems with the contents of the will ladies?”

     “Not at all,” Sarah spoke crisply as she stood to retrieve her coat. “I will have the mirror delivered to your home later today, Jordan,” she said and then directed her impatient stare at the lawyer. “My lawyer will see to it that the house and its contents are auctioned sometime this month.” She turned her curt stare toward the lawyer once again, “ I understand that you have some papers for me to sign?”

     “Yes ma’am, my secretary will deliver them to you in a moment and then you can be on your way.”

     “Wow, Jordan. That is wonderful that Bethany thought enough of you to leave such an heirloom,” Jordan’s mother bubbled, not noticing the pale expression on Jordan’s face or the increase in her rate of breathing.

     The mirror! How could she have forgotten about the mirror and what Bethany had said? Jordan stood to leave the room for some fresh air.

     “Just a moment, young lady, don’t forget to sign the paperwork before you go,” the lawyer called after her.

     Jordan signed the paperwork and she and her parents drove back home in mostly silence. The shadowed streets made the buildings seem ominous, matching Jordan’s thoughts.  Once home, Jordan ran to her bedroom to check on Candles, who was still sleeping soundly and then she hurriedly logged on to her blog site. Here she kept her most intimate secrets and her frustrations.

     Her fingers flew as she typed, Today Bethany got her way. She left that blasted mirror for me so I can save the world when she never had the courage to do so herself.

Here Jordan paused, feeling guilty for writing such a thing about Bethany. How could the mirror possibly show the future? Why didn’t Bethany use the mirror, herself if it could do this? You’d be crazy not to. She continued typing.

     The mirror will arrive later today and I am terrified of it. What if I see something horrible in it? What if I look into it, searching for my own destiny and see myself like Bethany someday? Or worse. No, I won’t use the mirror. I loved Bethany, but I just can’t handle that kind of responsibility. Since she insists that I take the mirror, I will. But that doesn’t mean that I have to use it. She can never make me do that. One thing’s for sure, I can see why she didn’t want Sarah to have it. Who knows what that woman would have used it for!

Jordan logged off with a million thoughts racing through her head, and she waited for the arrival of the mirror.

     A few short hours later the doorbell rang and Jordan froze. She had been chatting online with her friend, Stacey,who lived two streets over. Both girls were glad to be out of school for the summer and they were trying to come up with something fun to do for the upcoming weekend.

     “G2G,” Jordan typed in and she signed off and rushed to the top of the stairs, which directly faced the front door. There she saw two men with a dolly which no doubt carted the mirror that had been covered up with several sheets.

     “Ummm, Jordan honey, the mirror is here. Where do you want it?” Her mother called up the stairs.

     “In the attic mom,” Jordan replied with little thought.

     “The attic? Jordan, honey this would look beautiful in your room. Why in the world would you want to stick it in the attic?”

     Jordan frantically searched for some reason that would make sense. Meanwhile the moving men were getting antsy and Jordan knew that she had better come up with an answer quickly or it would be stuck in her room with its shiny future-telling-face looking right at her.

     “Mom, I- I just can’t bear to look at it right now. It reminds me of Bethany. Please mom, just for a little while until I can bear to look at it without crying.”

     There, she’d said it and it wasn’t totally a lie, just not the whole truth.

     “Well, teens!” Her mother sighed looking at the men in the foyer, searching for some understanding on their part; but by the looks of it, they seemed to think the whole family was looney.

     “I’ll show you to the attic and we’ll place it in there,” Her mother directed and then added, “For now,” Looking back up the steps in Jordan’s direction.

     Jordan retraced her steps as the men ascended the stairway, lugging the mirror with them. They proceeded down the hallway, past Jordan’s bedroom and her parent’s room on to a steep stairway at the end of the hall. The men lifted the mirror, jockeying for position, and hesitantly balanced it up the steps to the door at the top. Here Jordan flung the door open a bit too enthusiastically, earning a frown from her mother, and another look of disdain from the moving men.

     The attic was a spacious room that ran the full length of the house. It had dormer windows which filtered in light through the slatted shutters and wood floors that creaked and groaned when you walked upon them. Remnants of things that should’ve been sold in a yard sale a long time ago cluttered the room, casting eerie shadows upon the floor. An old couch, a dressmaker’s mannequin, even a trunk full of old clothes and toys. All these items were reminders of days gone by and mostly obsolete. A perfect place for this mirror, Jordan thought as the men stood it upright and began to uncover it.

     “No!” Jordan shouted as she saw what they were doing. Then realizing how she must’ve sounded, she again searched for the right words.

     “It’s so… priceless to me. Let’s leave it covered for now. That way it won’t… get dusty!” She smiled or at least tried to and her mother “harrumphed” and led the men back out of the attic and to the front door.

     Once they left, she turned to Jordan, “Are you feeling all right, Jordan? What’s gotten into you?”

     “ I-I just miss Bethany so much-“ Jordan blurted then she ran up the stairs doing her best to sound like she was sobbing when really she was hyperventilating after being so close to that blasted mirror.

     She dove into the bed and pulled the pillow over her face, knowing that her mother was sure to follow, which she did.

     “Jordan, do you need to talk?” Her mother inquired as she stood in Jordan’s doorway.

     “No, mom. I’ll be fine. I just need some time alone,” Jordan’s muffled reply came.

     “Okay, I just don’t see why in the world you wouldn’t want that beautiful mirror in your room. It would just look great in here.”

Jordan heard her mother retreat back down the steps and she set up in her bed, running her fingers through her hair and grabbing the ends as though she would pull her hair out. What was she going to do? Sooner or later that mirror would find its way in her room if her mother had anything to do with it. But for now it was upstairs.

     “Outta sight outta mind,” she whispered to herself. Maybe it would be forgotten, and if she had anything to do with it, maybe it would disappear.