Friday 16th January 2009

by Tina

“Wow, I felt like I won something. I get to see Ada Ybonn’s flat,” Jordan commented as the elevator brought him and Ada up to the twenty-second floor of the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel. “I never thought I’d get to enter this hotel.”

They reached the floor and started walking down the hallway to Ada’s room. “Oh come on, Jordan. I’m sure you’d been to prettier hotels than this. And besides, it’s not my flat. It’s just a room.” Ada slid her key card into the slot. The door opened noiselessly and the two entered the room.

Jordan’s jaw dropped as he saw the inside of the room. He had indeed stayed in a couple of luxury hotels himself, but he’s never been in a room like this. “World famous singers really get the special treament,” Jordan mused.

Ada rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Jordan. Anyway, sorry for the mess,” she said apologetically.

“What mess?” Jordan asked, eyes scanning the room. A red suitcase sat open beside the closet, and there were a few clothes scattered here and there. A laptop was on the desk, closed but plugged, with a stack of CDs and notebooks beside it. The dresser was filled with bottles, but it wasn’t in any way messy. None of it was messy at all. “This isn’t messy. Bianca’s room is messier than this.”

Jordan thought he saw Ada flinch at the mention of Bianca’s name, but Ada had turned around and started for her suitcase before he could look at her closely.

“Anyway, sit. Make yourself comfortable,” Ada motioned blindly to the general direction of the chairs. “I’ll be done in a while.”

“Nah, I’ll help you,” Jordan volunteered, following her. “Pass me your stuff and I’ll put them in your suitcase. I’m a master clothes folder.” He cracked his knuckles, and stood by Ada’s suitcase.

Ada chuckled as she disappeared into the walk-in closet. “And here you amaze me again with other things I did not know you do, Jordan Bernabe.” She said, a note of wonder n her muffled voice.

“We sure have a lot of catching up to do,” Jordan reached out to accept the stack of clothes she handed to him. He noticed as he folded Ada’s clothes that her clothes were far from glamorous or even trendy. They were sensible, casual clothes. For a famous singer, Ada sure is a pretty simple girl.

Jordan looked up from folding a pair of jeans and saw three clear glass vases in different heights, each containing a single feather. There was a pale pink feather in one vase, beside it a bright yellow feather and finally there was this long dark gray feather with green spots, obviously an peacock feather.

Ada walked out of the closet carrying another stack of clothes and saw Jordan looking at the vases. “Okay, now you must think I’m weird.” She dropped the clothes onto the suitcase and stood beside Jordan.

Jordan looked up at Ada and shook his head. “No, no. I’m just curious. You collect feathers?”

Ada nodded. “Yeah. Ever since I was a kid,” she walked to the vases and touched the peacock feather gently. “I have a lot more back home, all in the same vases. It’s kind of hard to collect them, with all these laws with animals, but I have a friend in the zoo back home who gives me the feathers from the birds who molt. I always make it a point to bring some when I go on tour. It reminds me of where I came from.”

“Really?” Jordan went to stand beside Ada and touched the pink feather.

“Flamingo,” she said, tone very certain. Then she touched the yellow one. “Macaw. But this is my favorite. It’s the first one I got.” She touched the peacock feather again. Jordan noticed a small and peaceful smile on her face as she ran her fingers on the plume.

“Well it is pretty,” he agreed, reaching to touch the feather as well. His fingers brushed with Ada’s, and she pulled her hand away, laying it on the table. Jordan shot her a questioning look.

“Don’t you remember, Jordan?” Ada asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Remember what?” Jordan put his hand down near where Ada laid hers. The room was quiet except for their breathing and the hum of the airconditioning, He looked at Ada, who glanced at him one more time before looking at the feather again. He then looked down at her hand, still on the table, and felt the urge to reach for it. Before he could, though, Ada had reached to touch the feather again.

“You gave me this, Jordan,” Ada said softly. “The first feather was from you.”

[787 words]

Prompt from Write Anything’s Fiction Friday # 87: Your character collects something that no one else knows about—she doesn’t keep it secret, it’s just never come up.

Author’s Note: Yes, this piece happened shortly after “Over Coffee”. Pardon the lack of description about the room, I was just guessing about where Ada would be staying in NYC. 🙂

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3 Responses to “Feathers”

  1. […] Feathers A Fiction Friday entry again, with the characters from “Over Coffee” making a comeback. […]

  2. Shelley says:

    I enjoyed this. Very good writing. I could picture myself in the room with them, and see those feathers.

  3. Annie says:

    nice.. great pace, brings the reader right into the room and good use of sensury description.

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