Last night's party was sweet and warm, but also awkward. If you were to describe it in a single word, it was strange. But everyone smiled at her today, and their faces were just of the regular employee, the receptionist greeted her.
"My name is Cherry." She introduced herself.
"Here's the finance department, and that is payroll." She continued talking nonchalantly.
"If you need to check on a case, this is our records department, they're in charge of every file that you need." Cherry pointed to the entire floor filled with shelves of documents.
"Oh, here we are." She opened a door that had supplies label on its door.
"Hello Fred, this Amie, she needs her company ID, access badge, table computer, and stationery."
After introducing her to Fred, Cherry left and Fred took over. He took her picture and made her ID. Unlike Cherry, Fred talked little, which was less awkward.
Fred assisted her in setting up her cubicle.
"Thanks!" She smiled when they're all done.
"No problem, just visit me if you need anything." He gave her a salute and left unceremoniously.
There were already two cases assigned to her. The first was a pro-Bono homeless man accused of murdering a convenience store clerk. And the second was a case of a girl that was raped and is currently catatonic. It says they caught her rapist, now confined in a criminally insane prison. She had to find proof that he's not insane, so he can have a death sentence.
Honestly, though, being put in a criminal insanity institution was worse than death. If she was that man, she would volunteer to die than being tortured.
"Alright, let's go check her information." Her blood was a little excited to see her details, she's ready to have her brain roasted.
On her way to the records department, she met Calvin again." He looked incredibly attractive and also had a sense of style. He's not a total geek, but a real catch.
"Good morning!" He gave her a warm smile.
"Good morning." She greeted back.
"You're going to the records department?" He casually asks.
"Yeah, I'm on my first two cases." She answers and smiled, and tried to not make it appear awkward. He's one of the big bosses, that's why.
"Um! good luck!" He gave her his signature wink and waved her goodbye.
The girl's name is Jada Marjorie Gordon. She's now twenty-two years old.
"Oh, my god! She has a kid." Amie can't help uttering. Her parents are Margaret Gordon and Louis Gordon.
"Wait, these names are familiar." She cried silently. Her hands were shaking, but called her mother.
"Hi, baby girl! Did you miss me already?" Bern's voice was still croaky, but sounded excited.
"No mom, I have something to ask." She said her voice was now shaking. This couldn't be the Aunt Maggie, she knew. Even if she didn't have an interest in knowing her, but she had been a household family member.
"Mom, what's Aunt Maggie's real name?" She tried to calm her voice so as not to upset her mother.
"Ayah! I've been telling you her real name before but you're not even interested." Her mother started an unnecessary nagging which she didn't really need right now.
"Mom, please." She begged, but of course, her mother was not listening.
"I told her you're in Palmera right now, so she invited you to come and attend her grandson's birthday. Oh! Jayda will be happy to see you." Her mom was just too happy to announce the invitation.
But she didn't need to ask anything because it confirmed her suspicion. Jayda was indeed, Aunt Maggie's.
"You can't miss it, do you understand?" Bern gave her a warning. But she had to meet them one way or another.
"Okay, you don't need to warn me, I'll come." Which made her mother overly happy.
She promised to do everything to help them have Jayda's justice.
Back home.
Bern dialed Maggie's number.
"Maggie, I had persuaded Amie to come to Joe's party." Bern was giggling uncontrollably like a teenager.
"Really? Oh, I missed that baby, it's been twenty-six years! But can't you come?" Maggie replied, also giggling.
"I will next time. Since Maggie is in Palmera, I might sell this house and transfer." Bern was holding on to the house in the memorial of George. But it's been fifteen years now, and she had finally let go.
"Bern, you know you and Amie are always welcome in our home. You are family!" Maggie sounded excited on the other line.
"I know. I will settle everything here, so we can all finally be together." She said. Bern misses the fun times they had when they were younger and just starting out a family.
Now both their husbands are dead, it's the two of them that should stay together to keep their sanity.
"What do you need? I'll help you speed up the process." Maggie volunteered because she can't wait to see her friend again.
"Oh! Nothing much! I might keep the house and live with Amie." Bern said, never realizing her daughter didn't want to live with her, at least in the meantime.
"Don't be silly Bern, we need to give Amie space. What if he and Tim will date? They need space."
The conversation of two ladies smells trouble. The two subjects had no idea what their mothers were planning.
"Come live with me. I'm so lonely that sometimes I forgot Jayda is somewhere else." Bern heard Maggie sniff, and she felt they're going to have a crying marathon again.
"Oh! Alright! I'll come this Friday." But I have to ask someone else to look at my house.
Back in Palmera. It's five in the afternoon and Amie was having a good time strolling around the Palmera business center when she received a call from Ron.
"Amie, we have a situation."
Ron's voice sounded in trouble, but they didn't have any business together unless it has something to do with her mother.