Courage & Resolve
1.3 - Charmed by the Willow
As time passed for Amelia in Willow Creek, days turned into years, and she learned to enjoy the peace and stability that her previous living situation had rarely afforded her. She'd risen quickly at work, securing her a position that kept her safe when their first external location failed, and Felix had to lay off a large number of employees. Beauchamp Law was back on the rise again, however, now having successfully opened a few additional locations that served the cities surrounding Willow Creek and beyond.
Amelia used her increase in pay to make her house into a small, yet homely place that was just the perfect size for her and her two children. Over the years, she'd fallen into the habit of regularly meeting her one decent neighbor, Jo, for afternoon tea, and the two of them had become close friends. Amelia had once imagined that after enough time had passed after her divorce, she'd find herself missing having a husband, or simply a man around, but it never ended up being something that bothered her. She had all she needed, and as far as she was concerned, when she had a husband, he hadn't done much for her.
Jo helped further her confidence in being without a partner, as Jo had long since given up dating and found fulfillment in living a life alone. The topic came up one day while they were meeting for coffee at a small, local cafe.
“So, Jo. Forgive me if this is bold, but... you never married. Would you mind if I asked why?”
Jo shook her head. “No, not at all. I get asked this a lot. I guess you could say that I never felt that ‘spark’ so many people describe. I felt nothing with my high school boyfriend, and it was the same story with the guy I dated for two weeks in college.”
“No judgement here,” Amelia smiled. “I was just wondering because of…”
“Because of Samson,” Jo nodded. “That makes sense. You had two kids with the man, after all. I truly do believe that sometimes, some people just have to accept that finding a soulmate isn't what was intended for them. They have a different purpose in life, and that is what they need to seek out."
“Would it be alright if I ask what you found yours to be?”
“I think I’m here to help people. Those neighbors you dislike so much have even come to rely on me, in certain cases. But whether it’s those neighbors, or you and your family, Amelia, there is nothing I enjoy more than helping out a friend.”
Amelia mulled over her words carefully. “A younger me would say that all of that is a bunch of bull someone sad made up to lie to themselves. But the me now? You seem incredibly content, Jo. It’s honestly inspiring.”
Jo smiled and took a sip of her coffee.
“You helped me out so much as I got adjusted to life here Willow Creek, that I can’t even begin to thank you for everything you've done for me and my family. I can definitely see just how dedicated you are to helping out friends, as you put it. And you're good at it, too.”
“Once you find what works for you, you’ve got to stick to it.”
Amelia nodded. “You’re right. I'd never have admitted it back then, but from the moment I set foot in that house on my first night here, I was already envisioning our next move. I mean, no mother wants to raise her kids in a house that run down if she can help it. But you kept me grounded, Jo. I fixed up that little house and made it something I'm proud of. I’ve come to love this town, it works for me, and I'm genuinely happy with what I have now.”
“You can tell me the truth, Amelia. A lot of what scared you was the Presley-Cardwell-Scott-Holiday-Lee family living next door to you, wasn’t it?” Jo joked.
“Maybe just a little bit.”
The two women burst into laughter.
“You know, they’re really not that bad!" Jo insisted.
Amelia gave her a look.
"Okay, fine. Only some of them aren’t.”
“Jokes aside, when I think of what kept me here, it all comes down to my kids. Always does. As a single mom, I feel like I need to work twice as hard to make sure they live the perfect life, and I’m not going to let anything I can help get in the way of that. And here, they're happy, and any obstacles they've run into are surmountable.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
Amelia got home from coffee with Jo around an hour before lunch and dismissed the nanny. Cory and Jamira, as usual, were overjoyed to see her step through the front door. They loved the nanny, as she was over so often that it was almost as if she lived there, but nothing could ever top their love for their hardworking mother.
Jamira, the older of the two, was already beginning to recognize all that Amelia did for the family.
She’d crept into her bedroom late in the night about a month before, long after Cory had fallen asleep. Amelia usually spent an hour reading before bed, as she was used to Jamira coming in a little after bedtime to ask if she could check for monsters under the bed for her. She closed her book, prepared to go and check for her. But what Jamira said that night ended up surprising her.
“Mom…” Jamira had said in a low voice. “You’re never home, and we were talking about jobs in school, and everything. So I was wondering… are you never home because you’re always working? Because we don’t have a dad?”
Amelia was taken aback at first, but once she adjusted her expectations to meet her surprisingly mature daughter, she was prepared to be the best mother she could be at that moment.
“Jamira, you’ve got it. I have to work twice as hard because you and Cory just have a mom, but you know what else that means? I love you twice as hard too.”
“I love you mom,” Jamira said, holding out her arms for an embrace.
Amelia hugged her back fiercely.
As Cory and Jamira greeted Amelia at the door, she thought about just how mature they'd both gotten. The day where she’d have to explain everything to them about why they didn’t have a dad was quickly approaching, as she was sure they'd only have more questions as they got older. That was a day she was dreading, but she knew it was only a matter of time.