“Uh, yeah.”
“Okay,” Aurelia said, still disbelieving. She thrust a finger out and pointed it at Jane. “Who’s sitting just there?”
“Aunt Aurelia! I don’tknow—it’s some woman. Hi,” she added, giving Jane a slight wave.
“Hello. Are you Julia? Aurelia told us you were visiting.”
“That’s me. I’m here for a month.”
“You—you’re talking to her?” Aurelia asked, amazed. “You can really see her? Hear her?”
“Yes, and I see a bunch of other people down there, too. You’re being rude, by the way.” She raised her eyebrows at Aurelia and then turned back to Jane. “What’s your name?”
“Jane. Jane Rochester.”
“Seriously? That’s so weird! I’m reading a book right now about someone named Jane and someone else named Rochester.”
Jane was about to speak, but Aurelia cut her off, not yet ready to have her worlds collide. She didn’t know what was happening but knew she needed time to figure it out before Julia realized that Jane Rochester was actuallyJane EyreRochester.
“This is a private… after hours… book club—meeting—thing,” Aurelia spluttered. She looked to Jane, nodding as though to convince her, as well. “Why don’t you head back up to the flat and I’ll meet you there in a bit.”
“That’s alright, I’ll just wait for you here.”
Julia plopped herself down on the window seat and Aurelia’s mind suddenly boggled at the stark contrast between Jane’s sedate brown dress and Julia’s tank top and sleep shorts. That wasn’t the only contrast; Julia’s calm acceptance of finding her aunt chatting with a bunch of people in the shop after hours stood out against Aurelia’s frazzled state of panic.
“No, you know what—I’ll come up with you,” Aurelia said quickly. “I’m tired, I’ll leave everyone to it.” She pulled Julia up from the seat and started tugging her toward the flat.
“Don’t you need to let them out? Close up?”
“No, they know how to let themselves out. Could you make sure to lock up and turn out the lights?” Aurelia called down to the characters, as if such a thing were even possible. She mouthedsorryto them as she stuffed Julia through the door and closed it behind her. Aurelia started up the stairs, but Julia stood at the bottom.
“That was abrupt.”
Aurelia turned back to look at her.
“Itwasabrupt. Good vocab word.”
“How often do you have that book club—or meeting, or whatever it is?”
“Um, it depends. Not that often.”
Aurelia started up the stairs again and this time Julia followed her.
“Jane Rochester,” Julia said, trying out the name. “Itisweird, isn’t it?”
“How do you mean?”
“Aunt Aurelia! Stop being annoying. You know what I mean—Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester.”
“A lot of people like that book. I told you, it’s a classic. I’m sure there are loads of girls named Lizzy Darcy because their parents likedPride and Prejudice.”
“Is Lizzy someone fromPride and Prejudice?”
“Yes, the main character, as it happens. You’ll meet her soon enough.” Aurelia paused and then added, “When you start reading the book.”
Julia rolled her eyes and shuffled back to her room.
“Goodnight,” she called out as she shut the door behind her, apparently done with their conversation.
