Aunt Maggie insisted for her to eat dinner with them. With all she had done for her, it's hard not to agree. She went home, bringing Jayda's black car. It's not very expensive, but it's flashy for Jayda that was a teenager back then when they bought the car.
Just like what they were doing in an Asian household whenever there's a party, there are take-way pouches. It was a clear sign that Bern heavily influenced her. How else could she have the bringing the food from a party culture?
She was so full when she got to her new apartment. Her brain was tired, but she needed to do her routine workout. She hated workouts, but when she's fifteen, the doctor diagnosed her as obese. That was painful, but Bern brought her to a therapist. That was one thing she appreciated her mother for.
She was doing her stretching when the apartment phone rings. Even if she's not sure if it's for her, she had to answer for politeness' sake.
"Are you comfortable in the apartment?"
It was Calvin. He sounded like he was just awakened.
"Hi! yes, very, thank you."
And her voice was out of breath because she tried to reach her toe.
"The way I hear you, you don't seem comfortable at all," his husky voice was worried.
"Oh, hahaha, I was stretching. I'm about to do my routine crunches."
She didn't mean to sound uncomfortable.
"Nice! remind me later, we actually were planning to put on a gym in the office."
"Really? that would be awesome." She giggled, thinking of her wearing gym clothes going to the office.
As if he read her thoughts. "Gym clothes still not allowed in the office but, we have locker rooms."
They both laugh.
"Hey, there is a party tomorrow at night that I need to attend, it's casual would you like to come?"
Crap, he was asking for a date, but Joe's birthday is also tomorrow. her thoughts screamed yes but she can't.
"Oh, no! I also need to attend a party tomorrow."
A sad emoji was floating in her mind's eye.
"Hahaha, that's okay, we can meet the next day unless you have another birthday to attend to."
"I don't have a lot of friends, to begin with," she defended herself.
"Good! so Saturday?" He had a hopeful tone.
"I'm free Saturday afternoon." She was giddy that he agreed to meet on Saturday.
"Alright!"
After she put back the receiver on its cradle. She went back to exercising but she can't focus, she really would go on a date for the first time.
She saw her reflection in the wall mirror and noticed that goofy smile on her face. She stopped doing that and continued the crunches. But since it's the first time someone asked her for a date, her mind was singing 'I had a date, I had a date.' and with a nutty tune.
She was still thinking of that alluring smile Calvin had when she pulled out Jayda's files and studied it one more time.
In the report, there was alcohol found in her blood, but no drugs. Her female organ was full of blood. They found her cradling herself outside the house. Amie was angry and wanted to run and hug Jayda. She didn't deserve that kind of life at seventeen.
In the files, it's a party she attended, but it's among her friends. None of Jayda's friends could see her anymore, but each of them had a statement of where and what they've been after the party.
All of them agreed that Jayda received a call and had to excuse herself. Someone picked her up that night. That means she knew the person and trusted him.
That made no sense because the person convicted swore he didn't know Jayda. And all the evidence, including the semen that was found in the girl's body, was the current suspect.
She will visit the man one of these days to clarify. And have him convicted to the death penalty.
She fell asleep at twelve, studying everything about Jayda's case. She didn't want to miss anything. It would be her actual gift to Joe's mother.
She said a brief prayer for Jayda's recovery and for Joe to grow up happy. And fell into a deep slumber, a few minutes later, she dreamt that Jayda was well and healthy. She brought her to many places, and they had fun together. Like a regular teenager who loved to explore, they laughed together in her dreams. And at the end of her dream, Jayda spoke.
"Be careful Mimi, he hated me, he hates you too." She said a lot of things, but it was no longer audible. The morning rush and noise pulled Amie's consciousness and soon forgot what her dream was about.
All she knew it's Joe's birthday, and she has a date with Calvin tomorrow. Enough to put a smile on her face. She normally didn't eat breakfast, but today is different.
She was humming while heating the food Aunt Maggie had sent her last night and the first time she enjoyed the smell of coffee.
Aunt Maggie sent her too much food, so she packed some for lunch. Even if it's a few blocks away from her house, she drove the car to the office. She reasoned that she would go to Joe's birthday right after work.
"Good morning!" Cherry was the first person she met at the entrance.
"Morning." But Cherry's response was a bit off. Maybe she had a terrible morning. She shrugged it off and went to her station.
She had studied her cases the whole day with no problem. She stared at phone's clock, it's now three in the afternoon.
Somehow she wanted to see the charming little kid again, that she was excited to come to his party. She wanted to see how happy he would be with her present.
"Boss, I will need to meet Mrs. Gordon at her house at four this afternoon."
Mr. Cross said nothing, but just nodded.
She happily drove Jayda's car to the outskirts of town, again hummed her favorite tune. Because she liked the kid and then tomorrow she had a date. An actual date.
"Auntie Mimi!" Joe screamed in delight upon seeing her with a large, wrapped present.
"My birthday gift!" He hugged Amie's leg.
"Alright, here, but I guess you could open it after you blow your birthday candle."
She rubbed his head and beamed at him.
"I know that." He patiently waited for her to hand him the gift.
"Happy birthday kiddo." She offered her hand so they could come inside the house together.
"Thanks!" The boy smiled back at her, which melted her heart.