Shadows And Regrets

Chapter 20: Finding Peace

Sasha hurried across the grand foyer and reached for the front door. She paused for a moment to fix her dress, then gently turned the doorknob and opened one of the large double doors. Outside stood a patient angelic young blonde.

"Um, God morgon! (Good morning)" Elsa greeted politely.

"God morgon! My isn't this a happy surprise," Sasha smiled. "Korleis har du det? (How are you?)"

"Eg har det bra, takk. Enn med deg? (I'm fine, thanks. And you?)" Elsa asked kindly.

"Jeg er veldig god (I'm very good)" Sasha replied. "Hvordan kan jeg hjelpe deg? Min kjære. (How can I help you? My dear)"

"Oh, I was wondering if Jack is ready for our…" Elsa paused for a moment, looking down and avoiding Sasha's gaze. "Ou-our la-lunch date" She smiled awkwardly, shaking off the sudden stammering.

Sasha blinked more than once. "Oh, that's right!" Elsa noticed how all of the sudden the elderly woman's eyes widen. "Vent litt, er du snill! (One moment please!) Just as she was about to go fetch Jack, she nearly forgot to tell her guest to come inside. "Please follow me inside."

It's been ages since Elsa last visited the Frost manor. Through her eyes, the mansion didn't seem to change over the years. The wondrous adventures she used to go with Jack came back to her. From the smallest things of their playful and youthful past just stamped a smile on her face. Their mischievous pranks on the old manor staffs to vast imaginative quests of roaming around the halls like heroes on an odyssey for treasure hunting and monster battles.

"Please wait here while I'll go get Master Jack," Sasha gestured her hand to welcome Elsa inside the family parlor. She let her find a chair to sit on. "Oh, before I go get him, do want something to drink?"

Elsa shook her head. "Nei takk (No thank you)" She returned a gentle smile while sitting down on one of the couches.

Sasha nodded before hurrying off upstairs. Down the main hall she checked if Jack was in his room. All she found was an untouched bed with the windows closed shut. And piles of not opened moving boxes. Next the woman decided to find him in his studies. And with some luck, she found him sleeping on his desk.

The box of old floppy disks and an old laptop was blocking his head from seeing his sleepy face. Overall the site was causing Sasha to question if Jack will live all the way past his sixties while currently working like a workaholic businessman without a strong social life.

"Jackson" She said softly while patting his shoulder. "Wake up sweetie."

After a few times of repeating his name and shaking him, he managed to wake up.

"I'm up!" Jack shouted, lifting his head up.

"Jack, did you forget that you had a date with Elsa today?" Sasha reminded him.

"Date?" He looked half asleep. "Elsa...Elsa!" From the look on Jack's face, Sasha concluded he finally came to his senses.

The elderly woman calmly watched him jump out of his chair and ran out of the room like if he was The Flash. Well, not really. Jack was definitely still half asleep, unconscious and clumsy. The white haired man nearly lost his step when his mind was not in sync with his body.

"I'm okay!" He shouted.

Sasha simply shook her head, smiling with amusement.

Elsa heard the sound of footsteps pressing against the wooden planners from climbing down the grand spiraling staircase. With the crook of her head, she was anxious for him. But, the person she was expecting was not there at that very moment. She sighed in disbelief when Sasha entered back in the parlor.