In the season when leaves start to change colors. In the season when green starts to turn yellow to signify the end of summer and days start becoming shorter, wet and definitely getting cold, It was almost easy to catch a cold even before the winter itself comes around but that's if you don't wear a sweater, maybe some boots, perhaps you wrap a scarf around your neck then top it with a warm hat. It wasn't winter yet but chimneys were being prepared for the change in season. Shops were preparing for the seasonal change by stocking up beverages and as for the clothes store, sweaters, head warmers, boots, socks and even ear buds and scarves were being stocked up to ensure sale. Christmas shops and stores also started having nice Christmas stuff in anticipation for the Christmas season which is in winter.
Autumn wasn't as cold and wet as winter but one needed to be prepared. Schools and businesses were still open. But the fashion for summer had to change in anticipation for winter.
People in coats, head warmers, boots, gloves and the rest of the winter outfits are seen parading the streets of Abbey road as the autumn gradually faded away into the winter. At this period, fire outbreaks wasn't a completely frequent occurrence but it does happen, especially when the walls are made of wood like in the suburbs.
It was time for winter break in schools and in offices too so everyone could travel to their homes or family houses to have nice family dinners and reunions after such a long time in the busy world. Winters were for Christmas and Christmas is a season of love, a season to share, a season for families to reunite, eat, drink and be merry. Presents were also shared in the light of Christmas spirit. Santa Claus brings presents for children when they are asleep, that is the belief of every child. Santa Claus on his sleigh bound to strong reindeers visited every household on Christmas morning to fulfill the Christmas wishes of every child. It was a blissful moment. But autumn wasn't still at its peak and winter was still close by in the apartment of the Malcolms, it was time for winter shopping. The shopping malls were the target to get all that was needed for the winter and even Christmas!
The year was coming to an end finally. The year of beautiful seasons and wonderful turn around for the Malcolms. It was celebration all the way for Freddie, Emily, little Aimee and grandma Elizabeth as Freddie won the big contract and little Aimee turned four. The Malcolm winery was definitely going to experience a financial breakthrough because of the contract and every worker in the winery were very happy and ecstatic about it.
"Mum, I want this one, I want this one" Aimee said one day when Emily took her to the clothes store to pick some stuff for the winter. The little girl was pointing at a blue scarf that had white dots on top. One could tell blue was her favorite colour considering her choices in clothes.
"You like that one?" Emily asked smiling.
"Yes, mum, I like it" Aimee said cheerfully.
"OK, we'll take it then" Emily said reaching for the scarf.
"Yay!" Aimee squealed excitedly as Emily hands her the sky blue scarf.
"Thank you, mum" Aimee said wrapping it around her neck roughly.
"You're welcome, sweetie" Emily said then bent down to help Aimee wrap it around her neck properly. Emily bought some boots for Aimee, a sweat shirt, bigger head warmers and a cute pair of gloves for Aimee, herself and for Freddie too. After paying for everything, Emily and Aimee walked to the car, put the stuffs in the passengers seat then both sat in the front. Emily put on the seat belt for Aimee first then herself before starting the car and driving at the approved speed.
"Mum..." Aimee called staring at Emily.
"Hmm..." Emily responded, eyes on the road.
"Can Clive come with us to grandma's house for the Christmas?" Aimee asked cutely and Emily smiled.
"Well, baby Christmas are seasons for family. I'm sure Clive will go to see his grandma and grandpa for Christmas" Emily explained.
"But what if he doesn't travel, then can he come?" Aimee asked again in her cute appealing voice making Emily smile.
"Of course, Aimee, you can bring Clive and even Marie too, if they don't travel" Emily said.
"Yay! I can't wait mum" Aimee said excitedly, raising her both hands up in the air with closed fists making Emily laugh.
As they got home, Frederick was already back from work. His car was packed outside. The living room was filled with a delicious aroma so while Aimee sat in the living room to watch the TV that was already on, Emily walked into the kitchen.
"Hey honey" Frederick said as soon as he saw Emily. He was in an apron holding a big spoon and standing in front of a steaming pot.
"Wow" Emily said as she moves close to Freddie who gives her a peck in her cheek.
"You're making dinner?" Emily asked smiling. She couldn't imagine how blessed she was to have such a lovable and helpful husband.
"It's going to be a delicious beef stew" Frederick said smiling at Emily.
"Just like Grandma Elizabeth's?" Emily asked also smiling.
"Well... not really but something close to that" Frederick said now facing Emily.
"Yes, no one can actually cook as good as her" Emily said moving closer to the steaming pot. She sniffs in the aroma and seemed to get lost in the sweetness as she closed her eyes.
"This smells delicious!" Emily complimented.
"It will be" Frederick said now stirring into the pot with a big spoon in his hand.
"I will get the table set then" Emily said.
"Ok" Frederick said and Emily leaves.
Freddie, Emily and Aimee had a nice dinner of some rice and a delicious beef stew which Aimee enjoyed a lot.
The winter break was here and it was time for schools to go for vacation. Some businesses too closed for the celebration of the season, giving that they had enough stock to sell and cross them over to the next year. The Malcolm winery too closed for the season since not much people would want to drink wine during the winter. Aimee's school, Maria Montessori School, closed for the break too. Aimee tried inviting her friends, Marie and Clive to her grandmother's cottage for the Christmas but they seemed to already have plans. Clive was traveling to the US to see his parents while Marie was going to see her cousins in Germany. The two of them had the entire winter vacation planned out. Aimee was a little sad but she wished them a nice vacation.
It was report card day and Aimee was to show Frederick and Emily her result for the school term. As always, Aimee came out with good grades for each of the subject she was taught in school. Frederick and Emily were ever so proud of Aimee because of her good grades. Once she started school, she had never failed even once and her parent always rewarded her for it.
As for the Horace, it was winter preparation too but the tension between them seemed to have reduced as Maya became quiet, she hardly talked to Lewis who seemed not to care much since he had a lot going on in his mind. Jasper too was a brilliant child, he also came home with good grades but sometimes he came home with B's and even C's but never D's, E's or F's. Maya was proud of him, she always tried everything in her power to give Jasper motherly love even for the fact that she felt unloved and used by Lewis. A lot has been going through Maya's mind too.
What Lewis could be planning to do with the Malcolms was a question that ran through her mind. She wondered if she could be able to take it all in if Lewis were to hurt them. But one thing was sure, she hated the Malcolms, she hated Frederick and Emily always acting as if they were the most perfect family ever known. Maya resented seeing them walk in the neighborhood, arm in arm, acting like newly weds who just found love. Maybe now she will no longer have to look at them or see them around in the neighborhood, annoying all who set their eyes on them.
Neither Maya nor Lewis wanted to visit their families for the vacation. Going to visit would remind them of where they were coming from - the slums. They were never actually happy they stayed there, so an escape from the slums meant a permanent goodbye to them.
Frederick and Emily weren't planning to stay at Grandma Elizabeth's cottage for way too long. Four days was the plan to enjoy grandma Elizabeth's delicious hot meals that couldn't be found anywhere else. Grandpa Harrison was sure a lucky man to have had a wonderful cook like grandma Elizabeth. No wonder they were always on good terms, grandpa was definitely eating healthy and so was Freddie but too bad grandpa Harrison is late now. Frederick always told Aimee of how cool and funny her grandpa was and at times, she wished she could have met him but Freddie always told her that he was in a better place.
On that very cold night, winter was still not at its peak but cold air filled the environment adequately. That was Lewis final day at work before closing for the winter. He had permitted all his workers to go on vacation on that particular day and he was the only one left at the office that very night.
Frederick, Emily and Aimee were seated close to the fire place holding cups of hot delicious coco, made by grandma Elizabeth, just to shield them from the cold. Aimee who sat in their midst held her mug lose to her chest watching as the fire burnt to keep them warm. Aimee enjoyed the view of the fire, but thought of grandma Elizabeth who was in the kitchen alone.
"Mum, Dad, I would like to join grandma in the kitchen" Aimee said in a cute manner.
"OK, baby go on ahead" Emily said and Aimee dropped her cup of hot coco before scurrying off to the kitchen to meet grandma Elizabeth who was busy making dinner.
Freddie whispered into Emily's ear making her laugh loudly.
"Oh Freddie" Emily said smiling then also whispered to him too making him laugh.
As they were still by the fire place, a group of men in black with black mask barged into the house, armed with guns. Frederick and Emily were shocked and confused, they didn't know what was going on. As they were about to get hold of Frederick, one of them hit Frederick's head violently causing him to bleed on his forehead. Emily screamed as she saw the blood on his forehead.
"Shh..." One of the armed men breathed indicating the hush sign with his finger on his lip, then he pointed a gun on Freddie's head so she stopped screaming. He was threatening her.
As soon as Freddie and Emily were taken outside the house, grandma Elizabeth and Aimee were caught peeping by the kitchen door and brought to the living room. Though they were inside the house, the window was wide open so they could all see outside.
A man also in black was already standing outside the house before the couple were made to kneel before them. Slowly the man that looked like their leader revealed his face and grandma gasped while Aimee watched with confusion, she recognized the man's face very well.
"Lewis..." Frederick called, a little shocked.
"What's going on here, Lewis?" Emily asked. She was confused.
"What's going on here ma'am is that I'm trying to return that which belongs to me" Lewis said, smiling deviously and stroking his pistol. Frederick and Emily didn't understand what he was saying. They both stared at him in confusion.
"You know, when I was a boy, my father never used to come home. He was a criminal from the slums. He did get money quite alright but as soon as he got it, he gambled it all away. But when he comes back home, he never misses the opportunity to tell me about the three kinds of people that exist in the world filled of bones. He said, son, there's the loser, the failure and then there's the winner in the game.
The loser is the one who failed to be smart in handling his business so he lost, but the failure is the one who after losses refuses to do anything about it but do you know who the winner is? The winner is the one who by all means, strives to get that which belongs to him, who eliminates all obstacles standing in his way so he can go back to the top. Freddie, I didn't want to hurt you but it seems like you are the obstacle standing between me and that big contract. I worked for it, I worked hard to get it but you made me become a loser but I'm not going to be a failure Freddie" Lewis narrated now squatting in front of Frederick. Frederick felt choked, there seemed to be a choke ball in his throat as he stared at Lewis.
"No Lewis you don't have to do this, we could be share holders, we can be partners" Freddie suggested but Lewis laughed.
"Oh come on Freddie no one not even me after seeing a man with a gun would want to partner with him. The fact just states that I have to finish what I started" Lewis said and pulled the trigger straight into Freddie's head then into Emily's head almost immediately. Aimee who saw what happened screamed and attempted to run outside but Grandma Elizabeth held her down.
"Burn the house!" Lewis said and turned to leave while the men who were inside walked outside and threw the bodies into the house before surrounding every corner of the cottage in flames. The men in black all left so they would not be seen near the flames. Unknown to them, Grandma Elizabeth took Aimee and was able to break out through the basement door before the entire house burnt down to the ground.