Mai Legacy
1.28 - Memorial
James left Oasis Springs after just one night. Despite the fact that he wanted to get back to his family as soon as possible, he wasn’t practically eager to face Colette again or spend more time with Jamie. He and Jamie were definitely trying to play nice, but there was a tension in the room as she scrambled some eggs for breakfast in the morning.
“Will Colette be down?” James asked, almost hesitantly.
“She’s supposed to be up by now, but I’m not going to bother trying to enforce breakfast time today,” Jamie sighed. “Why are you asking?”
“I… I just thought it’d be nice to say goodbye to my niece, that’s all.”
“Great of you to think of her,” Jamie said, placing the eggs on the table. “She definitely idolizes you, doesn’t help that mom and dad spent so much of their time searching for whatever they could find on you and your family. Hell, they’re probably the ones that taught her to admire you. I can’t see any other reason for why.”
James could have said that Colette probably idolized him because he’d left Oasis Springs and his responsibilities and family for what had ended up being a life of luxury and fame, something that she made clear she aspired to do too, but he really didn’t want Jamie to blow up on him again. And plus, he hoped she’d learn to see sense now that he’d most likely gotten her to hate him by arguing against her the night before.
“…could I have her number? And yours and Ty’s, of course. I’ve got to keep in touch with family, right? Especially now that so much of it is gone…” James asked quietly.
“Mom and dad have been dead for years now, James…” Jamie frowned. “I get that this is new information for you, but you’re, well... old. I’m sure you had to know. But yes, of course, I’ll write all that down for you.”
“It’s just all hitting me now, you know?” James laughed sadly. “I’d preserved this image of the Oasis Springs of my childhood in my mind, and coming back here and seeing how much it’s changed is… well, earth shaking.”
Jamie nodded and smiled, then got up to write the numbers down.
It was early the next day by the time he was riding the ferry back to the island he lived on. He was exhausted from the long flight, but the excitement of seeing his kids, his wife, his grandkids, everything, kept him awake. As he jogged home, he passed the Le Chien house. It looked dark and empty, with only the automatic outdoor lights on. He wondered how Joaquin and his three kids were fairing since Hajar’s passing, but he definitely wasn't on good enough terms with them to ask. So he kept on.
Seeing home again was definitely a welcome sight. Unlike the Le Chien’s house, lights were already shining as people bustled about inside, preparing for work. James eagerly walked up the front steps to the front door.
“I’m home!” James called out, pushing open the front door of the house he’d built for what seemed to be the first time in ages.
“Dad!” Seth cheered, running up to hug him. “I’m just on my way to work but great to see you!”
“Great to see you too, Seth,” James smiled.
“Well, gotta dash,” Seth said quickly, heading towards the door.
“Seth, wait-“
Seth was already gone. James sighed. He had something he needed to show to his kids, something he’d been working on while they’d been busy dealing with all the drama surrounding Jocelyn and Maverick. But he guessed it could wait until everyone got home from work.
James headed into the kitchen and found everyone in his family gathered there.
“James,” Susan smiled, standing up and drifting over to him. The two hugged, and she whispered in his ear. “As soon as you get a chance, we need to talk, something happened with Seth while we were in Newcrest.”
James nodded, but kept his face neutral for the rest of the family. Whatever Susan had to tell him definitely wasn’t something she wanted to discuss in front of everyone.
“Well, come on dad!” Leah called out. “Sit down, tell us all about what you found!”
“It’s definitely got me intrigued,” Maverick nodded.
“Oasis Springs is so far off and mysterious! I need to know more about it,” Jocelyn added.
James sat down and told them all about the Cleary Ranch, the sister he’d apparently had for years, and their bitter daughter, Colette, who wanted nothing more than to leave the desert behind just as he’d done so many years before.
“That’s a lot to take in,” Leah laughed.
“Could I speak to your father privately for a moment?” Susan asked.
“Yeah, of course,” Leah shrugged.
Susan walked James off to their bedroom.
“Oh, look, he left his phone!” Leah said to Maverick and Jocelyn.
“And why is that so exciting?” Maverick sighed.
“I feel like I should just text this Colette girl cause he got her number and say not to listen to dad, she should do what she wants to do,” Leah shrugged.
“Leah… James seemed pretty serious about her not doing that,” Jocelyn warned.
“And for what reason? His life only got better when he came out here to Windenburg, I’m sure this Colette would experience the same thing.”
Leah typed in James’s password, and searched for Colette. Luckily, she was already registered as a contact.
Hey girl, this is Leah. Don’t text this number again about this cause I really don’t want my dad finding out I’m doing this, but you should do you! If you can’t stand it on that ranch, run! I’m sure I could convince my dad to find you a place to stay once you get out here, he’s way too nice to let anyone live without a home. Hope to see you soon!
“And done!” Leah grinned.
Maverick and Jocelyn exchanged worried looks.
While all this was occurring, James and Susan sat on their bed.
“I’m worried about Seth,” Susan admitted. “Apparently, during Leah’s first talk show, some assholes called in and told him his eyes looked weird. I tried to tell him that it’s all genetics and, if anything, he should blame me for that, but he isn’t listening to reason…”
“That’s tough,” James grimaced. “I… I guess I’ll try to talk to him when I get the chance, at the very least.”
“Thank you,” Susan sighed. “Our children sure act and sound like adults, but when it comes down to it, they’re still children at heart and that worries me. I don’t want either of us to pass without both of them being ready to shoulder the responsibility of being the heir of a legacy family.”
“I’m sure they’ll be ready!” James said positively, even though he could see where she was coming from. “Leah and Seth have grown so much as people already, the days where they both kiss the same guy are far behind them. There can only be more growth in the future.”
Susan smiled. “Thanks, James. That’s… that’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
The two sat there in silence for a moment.
“I… I’m thinking I want to have a memorial for my parents at that project I’ve been working at later today,” James said quietly.
“Oh James, of course! It’s only right we do something to honor their memory!”
James smiled.
By the time everyone had made it home from work, it was pretty late in the day. Everyone was gathered in the living room, as they usually were at this time of day, watching tv and playing video games.
James cleared his throat. “Uh, I have something to show you all.”
A palpable excitement filled the room.
“But… part of it’s going to be a memorial for my parents. So… please, prepare for that,” James added quietly, tears in his eyes.
Within another hour, everyone gathered in the entry room. James checked that everyone was there, then led them outside, around the house, and up some hills. Soon enough, they reached a charming little gated area.
James turned around. “A lot of legacy families have their own private cemeteries, catacombs, whatever… The Shallots apparently had some buried beneath their hedge maze, I know the Le Chiens have a building in old town Windenburg where they always hold their funerals and keep people’s ashes, and even non-legacy families that are still huge have their own areas, like the Villareal’s mausoleum and the building in downtown San Myshuno that the Fengs own. So, this is ours.”
He opened up the gate, and everyone poured in.
“Okay, dad, how long have you been working on this place?” Leah asked. “Sure, I haven't bothered to walk up this hill since… well, before I married Maverick. and this definitely wasn’t here that many years ago.”
“It’s impressive alright,” Seth laughed, almost anxiously. “Sure makes you realize how long you expect this legacy to go on, dad!”
“I just felt that if we’re going to be one of the big name families of Windenburg, then we need this,” James said simply.
He then went and stood in front of the fountain.
“My parents, Ed and Daniela Mai, were wonderful people who I left too soon…” he began.
It was a beautiful ceremony.