"Are we excused?" Ian asked her, making her feel as though everything she had just said had gone in one ear and out the other.
"Not just vet," she said.
She folded her hands and sat there a moment as if she had to gather her thoughts and say everything perfectly.
"Tomorrow, someone is coming to this house. Her name is Miss Harper. She will serve as your nanny until your parents are capable of taking charge of you again."
"Nanny? We're too old for a nanny," Ian said, curling his lips in at the corners.
"Perhaps that is not the right term in this particular case. In my time such a person was also known as a minder. Whatever, her name is Miss Harper and you two are to afford her the same respect and obedience you would to me or your own parents.
"You are not to leave the property without her. You are not to go anywhere together on the property without her. There are times I will not be here for meals. She will take them all with you, tell you when to appear. Jordan, she will assist you in what to wear. She will assist you when you bathe and dress. If you have any problems of any kind, you are to bring them to her attention. She has vast experience with young people of all ages and it is apparent to me that you two need someone of her caliber and background to address your problems."
She paused and turned her eyes slowly toward Ian as though she were resetting a cannon. "Especially your problems, Ian."
"How did you find her so quickly?" he asked, without skipping a beat.
"When you've reached my age and have had my experience. Ian, you will. I hope, be someone of some resource, too, and you will understand how things can be done efficiently and correctly."
Despite what she had suggested about him. Ian looked like he appreciated her answer because she had included him.
"How old is she?" I asked.
Grandmother Emma's whole face tightened as she raised her eyes toward the ceiling. "I'm not accustomed to being cross- examined by children, Jordan. You will be told what you need to be told about Miss Harper and you shouldn't ask people personal questions. It's not polite."
"Knowing her age isn't all that personal," Ian muttered.
"You're both excused," Grandmother Emma said sharply. She could have just as easily brought down a gavel to end the discussion.
Ian and I rose from the table, pushed our chairs in proper
ly, and started out of the dining room. She followed us into the hallway and watched us walk up the stairs. When we reached the top. Ian turned to go left. I stood there, feeling frightened and alone. I had the urge to just run after him and go into my old bedroom and refuse to come out.
"Jordan," I heard Grandmother Emma say. "Go on to your new room and prepare for bed. I'll stop by in a while," she added.
She sounded friendly and caring. When I looked at her, she nodded. I started toward her side of the mansion and then paused to look down the hallway at Ian. He was standing there watching me. Then, acting sillier than I had ever seen him act, he put his thumbs in his ears, turned toward the stairway, and waved his fingers while he stuck out his tongue. Of course, she couldn't see him from below.
I smiled and he waved and went into his room. I waited a moment and then walked slowly into my new bedroom. Having my things there gave me some comfort, but it still felt cold and lonely. I sniffled back my tears and went to the bathroom to prepare for bed. Afterward. I put on my pajamas and crawled into what had been Daddy's bed. Of course, I had never slept in it. I had never really had a chance to look at it. The larger room made me feel so much smaller, too.
I glanced at the clock and saw I had at least an hour before I had to turn off the television so I started to watch something. I flipped the channels until I found a channel that was showing a documentary about, of all things, butterflies. Even though it was fascinating, it reminded me of Flora and what she had done to me. My mind started to spin around all the questions that had sprouted from the experience. I wanted to think more about them, but I couldn't keep my eyes open. I actually fell asleep with the television on and vaguely woke up when I saw Grandmother Emma clicking off the set, fixing my blanket, and then turning off the night lamp.
She stood in the doorway a moment.
Silhouetted by the hallway light, with her hand on her hips and her elbows out, she looked like a giant moth.
Seconds later, she closed the door and left me in darkness with only the vague light of a quarter moon threading its way through gauzelike evening clouds.
I thought about Mama and wondered if she felt the box of candy in her hand, woke up, and smiled to herself knowing that I had been there.
And that I would be back. That gave me a sense of relief and I closed my eyes, but suddenly. I heard a great deal of noise in the hallway. I listened hard. Grandmother Emma was telling Nancy and Felix, her driver, to move quieter. Why?
I slipped out of bed and peered out my slightly opened door. I saw Nancy carrying what looked like an armful of clothing. Whose clothing was it? Where was she taking it? Grandmother Emma was standing and watching her o down the stairway with Felix, carrying clothing, too, right behind her. I watched until Grandmother Emma started to turn and then I closed the door quickly and hurried back into the bed.
It all seemed like a dream. Maybe I was already asleep. I thought. Maybe I didn't even get up and look out that door. I closed my eyes. I was so tired, so tired. That thought opened the doorway to sleep and sent my tears for Mama back to the well of sadness from which they had been drawn.
The sunlight hadn't even begun to open the curtain of darkness when Grandmother Emma was back in my room, switching on the lights and telling me it was time to take my medication. She watched as I did it and then put it back in the medicine cabinet. She went directly to my closet, studied my clothing for a moment, and chose a dress for me to wear.
"I'd like you to look very nice this morning," she said. "Miss Harper will be arriving shortly and will take breakfast with us, in fact."