Leave them alone, my mother said.  Let them be.

But I couldn’t.  My great grandmother’s crystal balls — needed to be cleaned.  Cleansed  is a better word — I think.

Mother Adams — my great grandmother– Frank and Lucinda’s daughter– was clairvoyant and worked as a medium.  Smoke and mirrors, my mother says.

Mother Adams had nightly seances and redeemed spirits in her basement church.  A racket — a scam,  my mother says.

But — ever since the cleansing — things are different — quieter even.

It’s a good thing.   I am happy about it.  Truly.

But —  I do miss those orbs of light — especially the demurely lovely, serenely beautiful purple ones — the ones that would just show up — gently floating — unannounced — out of nowhere — at any time — but, mostly at night or when people came over.

Everything ok?  My mother would say —  with a wink.

My eyes always popped open whenever I’d see one.  But —  not now — not after the cleansing.  Now — we just have feathers showing up — unannounced — out of thin air. Should probably clean Mother Adams’ china cabinet.

It doesn’t need to be cleaned, my mother said.  Let it go.

Cleansed is a better word — I think.