by M.D. James
Chapter 2
Neither Jonas nor his Uncle Martin spoke a word as they sat in the back of the luxury car on their journey home. Jonas held tightly to the envelope his best friend had given him as though it were the last piece of his life that he had left. His uncle seemed oblivious to Jonas’ fears and anxiousness. He ignored the boy, and focused only on his newspaper.
As Charles drove his boss and the boy back to Aspen Estates, he thought about Kathy, one of the housekeepers at Aspen. He had been putting the moves on her for some time, not really because she was beautiful…although she was. He really just wanted her because he knew Elias liked her as well.
As teenage boys he and Elias had been the best of friends. They even both got hired on as servants at Aspen Estates together. Because Charles was the chauffer and worked outside and Elias worked inside the home, they slowly drifted apart.
Charles always wanted to work inside the main home and was tired of seeing Elias always get what he wanted. The promotion Elias got to be the boy’s footman was the final straw. Charles thought to himself, “That should’ve been my job. I’m the one who always did whatever Mr. Concord asked.” He cringed when he thought of all the immoral things he’s done to make his boss happy and yet his boss just ignored him. He felt used and angry and was going to take that anger out on Elias any chance he got.
Martin Concord was oblivious to his chauffer’s seething anger as they drove home. He just kept his face buried in his newspaper, reading about the scandals in politics and the destruction still left behind by the war.
Jonas just kept his face glued to the window, watching as they passed by farm after farm. He felt ungrateful. Any other orphan would be overjoyed to have found family and being going to what he could only assume was a palace compared to what he was used to. Even so, all he could focus on is what he was losing. He felt like crying but didn’t want to appear soft to his Uncle, even if it would quite possibly go completely unnoticed.
After what felt like hours, the car slowed and turned down a long gravel road. Jonas gasped at what he saw at the end of the road. It wasn’t a home…it was a palace!
“Ah, yes….that’s Aspen Estates. Isn’t she glorious?” It was more of a statement than a question, but Jonas felt compelled to answer his Uncle.
“It’s huge!”
“Well, it has to be, Jonas. Our family is something of royalty.” Uncle Martin went on to tell Jonas that aspen Estates was built over a hundred years prior, by his Great-Grandfather. “Only the best materials were used. Over the years, anyone who is anyone has stayed here.”
“How many people live here now,” Jonas asked, still in awe at such a large home.
“Just you and I,” his Uncle said with a sly grin. “Well, besides the servants, that is.”
Charles’ skin crawled anytime his boss said the word ‘servants’ as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. He liked the stature his job brought him, though, and kept his thoughts and feelings to himself. There weren’t many jobs in the area, and he was lucky to work in such a prestigious place.
Once he parked the car, he proceeded to open the back door to allow Mr. Concord ad his nephew to exit. He gathered Jonas’ meager belongings as Bruce, Mr. Concord’s footman and head of the house approached the car to greet them.
“I trust your journey was a god one, Sir?” Bruce asked his boss.
“Yes, Bruce, thank you.” Uncle Martin answered before introducing him to his nephew. “Jonas, this is Bruce. He is my footman and runs the house and all of the other servants.”
“How many are there?” Jonas asked, surprised that one man needed so many people to help him do things.
“There are many,” his Uncle laughed. “As you already know, Charles is the chauffer. Aspen Estates is quite large and many servants are needed to keep it clean and running like a well oiled ship. There are cooks, and housekeepers, and gardeners, and maids and footman…and the list goes on.”
Beside Bruce stood another man; one much younger. “And, this is Elias,” Uncle Martin announced. “He is your footman now.”
“It is a pleasure, Sir,” Elias said to Jonas, with a polite nod.
He had a kind face, that reminded Jonas a little of Bartzen. Jonas didn’t even know what a footman was, but he liked the idea of being around someone that reminded him of the home he was torn from.
Uncle Martin left Elias to show Jonas to his room and get him settled as he left with Bruce to discuss important business.
“Don’t be intimidated,” Elias told Jonas with a gentle smile. “It’s big, but I’m here if you need anything.”
Jonas was comforted, but only for a second. As he looked around he was intimidated…by the large chandeliers, and gigantic rooms decorated with such regal looking furnishings. They headed up a large staircase that seemed almost as big as the entire orphanage. Once they finally reached the top of the stairs, their journey continued down a long corridor. Finally, Elias stopped and told Jonas that they had arrived at his new room.
Jonas’ mouth dropped open as Elias opened the door and prompted Jonas to step inside. The room was at least ten times the size of the room he shared with Bartzen. In the center of the far wall stood a massive bed fit for a king. His window overlooked the front of Aspen Estates. From the added height, he could see gardens and an orchard that he couldn’t see from the car. “Bartzen would love this place,” he thought. Too bad they weren’t really brothers and could both live at Aspen Estates.
“Would you like me to show you around?” Elias asked. Jonas almost forgot he wasn’t alone in his new room.
It took almost an hour for Elias to show Jonas just the main areas of the house. They covered the living room, where he was introduced to two of the housekeepers, Madeline and Kathy, who both seemed very nice to Jonas, as they cleaned an already spotless room. Next, they headed to the library where Jonas was amazed at home many books they had. “I’ve never seen this many books before in my entire life,” he told Elias, who laughed and tussled the young boy’s hair before moving on to the dining room.
“This is where you will eat all of your meals, Jonas.”
“Wow. Where do you sit?” Jonas asked, assuming that the servants ate at the main table as well since there were at least twenty place settings.
“This table is just for you and your Uncle. We servants have our own table down in the servant’s quarters below.”
Jonas thought it was stupid that they should eat separately when there was so much room at the table, but Elias reminded him that they were just hired help…not family.
“Has dinner already been served tonight?” Jonas asked as his stomach loudly growled. He hadn’t eaten since morning, and was famished.
Elias was surprised that Mr. Concord hadn’t had Charles stop on the long drive so they could get something to eat. “I’ll bring something to your room. Can you find your way back?”
“Yes, I think so,” Jonas said but really wasn’t sure that he could. Aspen Estates was like a maze of beautiful rooms. He had trouble even finding the main staircase.
As he searched for his way back, he heard voices coming from a room around the corner. He followed the voices hoping that maybe he could ask for help getting back upstairs to his room.
“I don’t care about that sniveling brat, Bruce,” Jonas Uncle was telling his footman.
“I understand, Sir, but you must keep up appearances if you want to retain Aspen Estates,” Bruce replied.
As Jonas got closer to the muffled voices, he stepped on a creaky floor-board.
“Wait! Did you hear that,” Jonas’ Uncle asked his footman as he heard a faint creaking sound.
Bruce checked the corridor and saw Jonas approaching. “What are you doing out there, child?” he ordered. “Were you spying on us?”
“N…no, Siiirrr,” Jonas stumbled. His Uncles footman was a very large and scary man with an even more frightening
tone. “I..I….was lost, and just trying to find my room,” he explained.
“I’ll show you the way,” Martin said to his nephew, emerging from his office with a fake smile plastered on his face. “That will be all, Bruce.”
“Yes, Mr. Concord.”
As they walked, Martin told his nephew that he hoped he would feel very comfortable at Aspen Estates. “One day, it will be all yours, you know.”
After Jonas ate the soup and sandwich Elias brought him, he couldn’t get the thought of his Uncle’s words out of his head. Aspen Estates would be all his one day. Never in his life had he ever even dreamt of owning a home, let alone a home as grand as Aspen Estates.
As he lay in bed that night, he opened the envelope Bartzen had given him. He read the words slowly, in a last effort to hold onto his friend just a little bit longer.
Jonas,
I have to write this quickly, as you are about to leave.
Never before have I ever had someone in my life that I’ve been so close to. It’s not easy making lasting relationships when you’re an orphan. When we became friends and later like brothers, I thought I finally found a family…a family that would never leave me.
I’m not saying any of this to make you feel bad. I just want you to know how much you mean to me and that even though we’re separated by what may as well be different worlds, I’m always here for you.
I know I told you that you were like a brother to me, but the truth is that you are so much more than that. It’s hard for me to express my feelings for you. Most of my life I kept them to myself.
I hope you’ll write me often and let me know that you are alright and all that you are doing in your new world.
One day, we will find each other again. Know always that I love you and miss you.
Your friend, your brother, your family,
Ferdinand Bartzen
Jonas couldn’t help laugh out loud as he read how Bartzen signed his name. It meant a great deal to him that his friend loved him enough to use his whole name…a name he’s kept hidden from everyone for as long as he knew.
He wanted to write Bartzen back immediately and tell him all about his day and Aspen Estates, but he was worn out and he doubted he had any paper in his room. He would ask Elias or his Uncle for some in the morning.
He closed his eyes and thought about his last few moments with Bartzen, Crystal, Ms. Pommeray and even Billy as he slowly drifted off to sleep. It hasn’t even been a day, but yet it felt like a lifetime ago.
