The Book of the Blue House

The sun was rising high in the pale winter blue sky, and Cal imagined it must be some time after twelve by now as they arrived back at the Temple. He still had duties to perform, and he was already on his way to the west part of the temple on the second floor, seeking out Matteo, when he heard laughter coming from the young man’s room. There were whispers and then more merry laughter, and Cal thought that Matteo was the least merry creature he’d ever seen, and wondered what could be the cause for such mirth. Indeed he was coming to invite him to lunch in case no one else had, and when he reached the room he saw that it was Conn sitting there with Matteo and the harsh faced young man with his heavy brow looked transformed, clapping his hands at a story the golden skinned boy was finishing.

“Cal!” Conn said.

“Good morning, Conn. Or good afternoon. I came to check on you,” he said to Matt.

“Conn’s been keeping me company,” Matt said, shaking his new friend’s shoulders. “I was stuck in my thoughts when all of a sudden there was a knock at the door, and there he was with a fritter and juice, and he just started talking, telling me about back home in the north. And,” Matt shrugged, “here we are.”

Cal was smiling, and he looked on Conn with affection.

“I didn’t even know if lunch had happened yet,” Cal said.

Matt wouldn’t have known and Conn said, “I guess on the top floor it’s happening for all of you, and I think some folks are up in our—well, your rooms—but I’ve been here with Matt, and I think we got lost in talking though… I think I could eat. Could you eat, Matt?”

Matt, who seemed like he wasn’t shy about many things, was shy about jovial conversation, and he went as red as a girl then said, “I could eat.

“We should go.”

Cal nodded, surprised by the whole turn of this day and surprised by Conn’s sudden appropriation of Matt. Cal wondered what would become of the golden boy. Some had the gift and were drawn to the Temple, never intending to be Blues, but they had such a force and goodness about them, and leaders were like that too, for Conn seemed to be one.

“We should check on Brian,” Conn decided, and stuck his head in the empty room next door.

“I hear him in the next room,” Matt tried to whisper, stooping to Conn’s ear.

“Quinton’s?” Conn said, and Cal wondered how he had remembered everyone so quickly.

They all stopped in the next room and Brian and Quinton were both on the floor doing whatever assignments the proctors had set them when they looked up and Cal explained that Conn thought they should all have lunch. With boylike excitement their faces lit at the simple prospect of food, and after Brian helped Quinton rise on his good leg, they set out for the lift, not walking so fast that Quinton, lurching, would be worn out.

But Cal remained at the back of them and he said, “Conn, can I talk to you?”

Conn nodded and left Matteo’s side.

“I know,” Conn said, “I’m over forceful and I take over and—”

“You’re wonderful!” Cal said, seriously. “I wish more people were like you.”

Conn blinked at him.

“I was so worried Matt would have a hard time here, and you just went and found him and made him laugh. I see why Derek feels about you the way he does. You’re a good man and I just wanted to tell you that.”

Conn shrugged, embarrassed and said, “Cal, I’m really not.”

“You are,” Cal said, looking so serious Conn didn’t dare contradict the Blue priest. “And what’s more, our rooms are your rooms. This is your home. All of it. You are our family. You belong here.”