Courage & Resolve
1.12 - News in the Dead of Night
“Happy graduation, Jamira, Sheena, and happy birthday to you, Cory,” Amelia said with a giant smile as she placed a cake on the dining room table.
Jamira and her friend Sheena had graduated from school in the past week, and Cory’s birthday just so happened to be the next, so Amelia chose to roll the two celebrations into one.
All had been going well recently. The pain and doubt she felt immediately following that meeting with Samson at the hotel had more or less faded away, as, in the past few years, Samson had all but vanished. She’d hadn’t seen him or heard from him at all since that day. Yet, judging by the snide looks Stefan gave her whenever the two had a chance encounter, Samson was still in town somewhere.
But she wasn’t going to seek him out. Of course she wasn’t. With people like Jo, Genevieve, and Felix around her, she had no need for Samson’s company. For the time being, Amelia chose to assume that Samson had actually listened to what she said that day at the hotel, and came to the realization that it was too late for him to step in and try to be a father. So, she guessed he’d chosen to back off, but still stay around town so he could watch his children grow up. And Amelia could respect that.
“I can’t believe we’re finally done with school,” Jamira laughed. “Way too much work for this piece of paper.”
“I think it was worth it,” Sheena said. “Just think of all the things we can do now! All the career opportunities!”
“Ssshh!” Booker, a longtime friend of Cory’s, hissed. “Cory’s about to blow out the candles!”
The four of them all sang happy birthday as Cory smiled up at them anxiously before taking a big breath and blowing out the candles.
“Lil’ Cory isn’t so little now, huh?” Jamira smiled. “A full blown adult, just like the rest of us now.”
“Yeah, Lil’ really was accurate,” Booker snorted. “Your dad must have known you’d always be the baby of the group when he gave you that nickname.”
“Booker!” Sheena hissed, knowing that in their group, they didn’t ever mention Jamira and Cory’s father.
Amelia interrupted their conversation with a polite cough. “Anyway, how’s the cake, everyone?”
“It’s delicious Ms. Brown!” Sheena exclaimed, eager for a change of subject. “Thank you for the invite!”
“Yeah, thanks! This is seriously amazing,” Booker agreed.
Amelia waved a nonchalant hand. “Of course! You two are Jamira and Cory’s greatest friends, there’s no way I wouldn’t have the two of you here for this.”
Amelia leaned back against the wall and smiled to herself as she watched the four of them talk happily and enjoy the delicious cake she’d baked herself. Life… it couldn’t be better. Jamira and Cory had grown so much since that day where they had to talk to Samson… honestly, they might have grown because of that talk with Samson. Following that day, Jamira had really applied herself to her studies, and Cory started acting a lot more mature.
Granted, they had been going through their teenage years, and that had all the dumb teenage moods attached to it. Jamira, for instance, spent way more time out in town with Sheena then she did talking with Amelia, like she had when she was a little kid. And Cory spent most of his time out at the basketball courts then he did with her. But now, it was almost over. They’d just about reached the age where children started to reconnect with their parents. Well, that was what Genevieve and Felix said anyways.
Their two children, Elise and Connor, were old enough that they were both in college, currently studying law.
“We told them not to go into it and to do something less boring, but it’s all they want to do,” Genevieve had sighed.
“Tell me about it,” Felix added. “I was hoping one of them would be an artist, so we’d have someone with a creative mind in this family, but I guess that was unrealistic.”
“They must both really admire you, then,” Amelia said with a small smile.
“Too much if you ask me,” Genevieve said. “They literally want to be us.”
“And is that a bad thing? You two are actually good role models to look up to. Built yourselves up one of the most powerful law firms in the world! I’d do anything to be that sort of role model to my kids…”
“Teenagers, huh?” Felix smiled. “It’s okay. They’ll get better. They just need to spend some time being distant from their parents before they can come back and actually appreciate all you’ve done for them.”
“And Amelia? Don’t you dare say that you’re not a good role model, got it?” Genevieve said firmly. “You escaped an abusive relationship, you’re an incredibly hard worker, and a caring mother. You built up a loving family in a stable home from nothing. Felix and I needed some of Felix’s dad’s money to start this company. If anything, you’re the better role model.”
“You… you really think so? Thank you so much Genevieve…”
Throughout all of the teenage years, she’d had Jo, Genevieve, and Felix. Three friends she’d truly come to rely upon. So, even with her children growing up and starting to distance themselves, she wasn’t completely alone.
“So, Sheena,” Amelia said, interrupting the silence that had been caused by her delicious cake. “How’s your movement to reduce waste going?”
Sheena perked up immediately. “Pretty amazing, actually! There’s this get together for people who are dedicated to making the world a greener place this weekend, and I’m going to pass out fliers and talk about my cause to make it an actual movement!”
“She’s calling it the Morrin Society,” Jamira chimed in. “I told her I didn’t think it was descriptive enough, but she’s going for it anyway.”
“And I’ve always told her that as long as I speak my mind and am passionate about what I’m doing, I’m sure I’ll be making progress.”
“I’ve got to agree with Sheena here, Jamira, I’m sorry,” Amelia said with a slight smile. “Anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. And plus, you could help her, seeing that your goal is to be a biologist.”
“I know, I know, mom. I’ve just got to actually dedicate myself to studying to be one first…”
“Which you’ll do amazing at, as long as you put your mind to it,” Amelia smiled.
“You can’t win against mom, it’s just unrealistic Jamira,” Cory laughed.
“Oh, shut up you dumb jock.”
“Hey! Basketball is just as cool as biology! And… it’s actually entertaining for people to talk about.”
Amelia sensed the conversation derailing so she shifted the conversation. “How about you Booker? Any ideas about what you want do yet?”
Booker shrugged. “Honestly? I’m just going to do whatever I feel like doing. Which… right now is eating this cake.”
“I say we all bully Booker,” Jamira said loudly.
“Oh, no, bullying isn’t right,” Sheena said timidly.
“Bring it on!” Booker grinned.
Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden brisk knocking on the door.
Everyone fell silent.
“Were you expecting anyone else, mom?” Cory asked.
“No, I wasn’t,” Amelia said, frowning. “Jo was feeling a bit under the weather after spending too much time dealing with last week’s drama with the Presley family, and Genevieve and Felix are much too busy with their campaign…”
Amelia walked over to the door, opened it up, and was surprised to see both Genevieve and Felix.
“Genevieve! Felix! Come inside, please! We weren’t expecting you, but I’m sure there’s some cake left…”
Genevieve shook her head. “Please step outside for a moment Amelia, something’s happened.”
Amelia nodded slowly, and walked out onto her front porch.
“Oh, I, uh, brought Cory a birthday gift,” Felix said, producing a small box.
“T-Thank you,” Amelia stammered.
She took the box from Felix, placed it on the table closest to the front door, then walked back outside and shut the front door behind her.
“What is it? What’s going on? Did something happen with Samson?”
Genevieve shook her head. “Jo.”
“Jo? What happened with Jo?”
Felix took a deep breath, then started speaking. “One of your neighbors… an elderly woman by the name of Giovanna, I believe, found Jo dead in her basement after what resembled a fall down the stairs.”
Amelia gasped, and took several steps back.
Genevieve grabbed Amelia's hand, and gave her a reassuring nod.
“She’d been dead for at least a day,” Genevieve said quietly, stepping back from Amelia again.
“H-How do you guys know about this?”
“One of the members of the Presley family, a man by the name of Travis, filed a lawsuit against the firm that sold her the home because Jo had never been made aware of any sort of basement in her home. He wanted to keep things quiet until the realtor got in touch, but we felt that you deserved to know,” Felix went on.
“Travis… he’s right. I spent so much time in that house, and never once did Jo mention a basement and there definitely wasn’t any sort of stairwell!”
“The whole situation is just bizarre,” Genevieve agreed. “Both your story and Travis’s story match, so I’m sure Jo was unaware as well. But how on earth was the realtor that sold her the house was unaware too? We’ll figure it out, Amelia, I promise.”
“I-I’m sorry,” Amelia said, tears forming in her eyes. “I think I understand what you’re saying but I also don’t? I need time to process all of this.”
“Of course, Amelia,” Felix nodded.
“Please, feel free to take the next week or two off of work,” Genevieve added.
Amelia nodded her thanks, unable to form words.
Genevieve gave Amelia’s shoulder a comforting squeeze, then the two turned around and were on their way.
Suddenly, Amelia was dreading heading back inside. She didn’t want to face her children and their friends like this.
But, she had no other choice. Amelia slowly turned the doorknob, and walked back inside.
Jamira, Cory, Sheena, and Booker stood there in complete silence.
“Mom. We heard everything,” Jamira said quietly.
“I am so sorry for your loss, Ms. Brown,” Sheena whispered.
Hearing that, Amelia burst into tears.
Not wasting a second, Jamira and Cory rushed over to hug her.