Joachim Books

Jackie followed the elderly lady up the stairs. At the top, she turned left down a long hall.

“The best room is in the back, but you’ll have to walk much farther all the time. I’ve put you in here instead. Closer to the stairs.” Maxine opened a heavy-looking wooden door and entered. She went to open the windows.

 Jackie stepped across the threshold into another world. The room was lovely, obviously a girl’s, with white antique furnishings, and a soft pink and white hand-made quilt on the bed. There was a large fireplace with a white marble mantle and hearth. A wing chair and small round table sat by one of the two tall windows.

“This was my daughter’s room. You’ve got a view of the side and a bit of the street. Keep these curtains closed or you’ll be putting on a show for the whole town,” Max warned.  

A small, round painted metal tray on the vanity held an antique comb and brush set, several gorgeous pillboxes and a few rhinestone combs.

“Don’t mind that stuff. It belonged to my grandmother. I leave it here for decoration. Can’t really use the old brush. Bristles fall out sometimes. Like an old lady’s hair,” Max chuckled.

“The room is beautiful. And the light coming in. It’s perfect.”

“It’s kinda small, but it should do.”

Max headed for the door. “I’m going downstairs for a bit. Get yourself settled in.”

Jackie touched the antique items, running her finger over the engraved initials, AMF, on the brush. She wondered what the woman’s name had been. But there wasn’t time to waste. She unpacked her bag, putting her meager belongings in the large armoire in the corner. She rested for a moment the wing chair. Today she’d stepped into a time machine and emerged in a different era. It was strangely comforting to live in the past, since her present was fairly well a blank.

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