Robert's Mirror, Chapter 9, by J.M. Stevenson, www.jeannesbottle.com

Eloise Ivanyo was nearing her sixty eighth year. She was the sole occupant living in a cube of a home that stood out among the neighboring cottages with a white picket fence surrounding her square yard. Everything about the cottage was in pristine order. The lawn she paid fifteen dollars a week to have mowed and the trim work she hunkered down each and every Tuesday, using hand clippers to snip her way to perfection.

For the most part Eloise sat contemplating better days, younger days, but in her retirement she was very much craving human interaction.

The first thing Melissa Bland noticed from the bureau on the stand was the other ornate bottles of perfume lined in a meticulous row. There was order in every direction. The closet was not only color coordinated, but garments sat in perfect alignment.

Missy searched for the children that she believed she was destined to help. Ever since taking up residence in bottles of perfume it was generally kids that drew from her limited pool of wishes. It was obvious from the lack of toys and clutter that this was not the home of a child. No children had been present for some time and the liniment scent from treating an elderly person's arthritis was apparent as it mixed in with the fresh air filtering in from the window next to the bed.

There was a single photograph on the shelf above Eloise's bed. Within the frame, Eloise stood posed with a girl and by the style of the clothing, it must have been snapped sometime near the late sixties. Both Eloise and the child were smiling at the camera as Mickey Mouse stood in the background making bunny ears above Eloise's head. It was taken at Disneyland, obvious by the familiar castle in the background.

A clock ticked from the front room as Eloise sat rocking in her chair. Over and over the woman swayed, gazing out the picture window focusing on the great expanse of world happening all around her.

"Hello?" Melissa screamed from within the bottle.

"What's that?" Eloise said adjusting the hearing aid dial on her left ear.

A moment later, Eloise entered the blue floral bedroom. Her eyes scanned the lifeless objects surrounding the walls.

"Hello!" Missy managed again.

Eloise approached, sliding the heavy glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"I thought I heard a voice." Eloise whispered, pulling the bottle into her grasp.

"Who are you?" She questioned without showing surprise.

"My name is Missy, Melissa Bland."

"You're just a child now aren't you?"

"Yes. I believe I've teleported here by mistake. I'm on a team that only helps kids in distress."

"I see." Eloise managed.

"Would you care to sit with me for a while?" The worn out woman asked.

"Sure." Melissa said as Eloise carried the perfume into the sitting room and placed the bottle on the window's ledge.

"Either I'm suffering from senility or I see and hear a young girl within my bottle of Evening Sun Perfume."

"I'm truly here, so there's no need for concern."

"Now Miss Bland, tell me how it is you arrived into that bottle of yard sale perfume?"

"I'm not sure yet about my purpose, but I do know that I'm here to help."

"I don't need your help, I don't need anyone!" Eloise muttered with bitterness.

"This house seems mighty quiet, you wouldn't happen to have any children tucked away now would you?"

Eloise released a tsk sound through her teeth. "Had a daughter, but I've disowned her through the years. She never did live up to the way that she was raised, I'm better off alone than with the likes of that one...an embarrassment is what she turned out to be."

"How sad." Missy whispered.

"How's that?" Eloise questioned.

"I know my mom would've stood by me no matter what. Parent's are supposed to love their kids without condition...that's just the way it is."

"Tsk." Eloise exhaled. "There are limits to everything. Heck, if I'd have gone off and disgraced the family like my Caitlin did, my parents would've hit the ceiling!"

"What did she do that was so bad?"

"Never you mind all of that... it isn't worth my time nor consideration."

The room fell silent as Eloise began to rock, her gaze falling outdoors to the bird bath at the center of her yard. Three Sparrows were frightened away by an aggressive Blue Jay.

"Does your daughter live around here?" Melissa questioned breaking the silence.

Eloise closed her eyes refusing to say another word.

Later that afternoon, Eloise pulled her shiny green Volkswagen from the garage and totted the bottle along for a drive.

The surrounding area was predictable and Melissa realized it was her very own hometown. In fact, her parent's had lived a few blocks away, just past the elementary school that she at one time attended. Melissa felt sentiment as she sat on the dashboard gazing at the familiar landscape.

"Where are we heading?" Missy asked with curiosity.

"Just you be patient." Eloise responded.

A moment later, they turned down a street and slowly crept along towards an abandoned little league field. Melissa recalled going to a game to see her cousin Willie play during his first T-Ball season. It seemed as if only days had passed and not years. She felt enormous sympathy and suddenly felt an inner tug as she missed her family.

Eloise pulled the compact auto to the side of the street and lifted the bottle to her window. The homes along the road appeared disheveled and she pointed to a specific house positioned to the far edge of a cornfield.

"That! That is where and how my daughter chooses to live. Can you believe the disgrace of it?" Eloise spat.

There was a tiny girl out front wading through a shallow mud puddle. A large dog scurried past and the girl who was wearing a soiled dress toddled along to follow.

"Is that your granddaughter then?" Melissa asked with curiosity.

"Must be." Eloise answered gritting her teeth.

"How can you just sit here watching that baby wander off and not do anything about it?"

"It ain't my place, Caitlin made that perfectly clear a long, long time ago."

A man stepped through the front door and his voice was gruff and intimidating. "Ya get back here Faith or the neighbors dogs will gobble ya up whole."

The girl appeared from the side of the house, her eyes wide with fright as she darted back to the sidewalk.

"..and don't ya wander off again!" The man said disappearing back inside the house.

"Is that your son-in-law?" Missy asked.

"Heaven's no, Caitlin never married. She's always had a thing for picking up strays. Lord knows why she puts up with such characters."
"When was the last time you spoke with your daughter?" Melissa questioned Eloise.

"Too long now to mend any fences."

As the grandmother began to pull away, a young boy no older than five appeared marching down the street swinging a stick. Eloise slammed on the breaks as her eyes scanned the child with scrutiny.

"My goodness, that must be Richie. I'd know those dark eyes anywhere. He looks just like his grandpa."

"Why don't you say hi to him?" Missy prodded.

Eloise swung the car in the turn around and sped away in response.

"Never you mind any of it Missy Bland! I can die tomorrow knowing that I had my say years ago. Caitlin was my daughter yes, but as far as I'm concerned I have no grand-babies, Caitlin made that perfectly clear. I'm not welcome, not that I'd want to be with the likes of her livin' like she does."

As Missy sat on the night stand watching Eloise sleep, she realized with a certain amount of instinct that offering her a wish was not an option during this assignment. The wish given would probably have to be something Melissa deemed necessary. For some reason Missy felt a sense of acceptance, knowing that soon her purpose would be revealed. Until it unfolded, she was prepared to wait, wait and pull more information about grandchildren in need of a grandma and a grandma in obvious need of her family.