Aimee sat in the living area alone studying. Everyone was out today preparing for the Fall Ball. Aiden was in his room studying. Aimee was in need of a break for from studying Professional Development.
So she spread out some of her mom’s pictures along with a list of names she found at her dads. None of them seemed to be connected to Neahovia. Aimee was on a free database site trying to find anything she could about her mom when Aiden came down.
“I need a lunch break. How about you Aims’?”
“I just called an order into the Mexican place down the street. I ordered enough for two.”
“Thanks. What are you doing?”
“Trying to find out some information about my mom or grandmother.”
Aiden sat beside her in the floor. “What do you have to start with?”
“Not much. I can’t even find their names on any database I search.”
“You mind if I try?”
“Not at all may be you will have better luck.”
“I have private access to a few sites. Let me see what I can gather. Let’s start with your grandmother. What is her name?”
“Edna Rose Townsend.”
Aiden started searching the sites but just like Aimee he was coming up short. He was trying every trick he knew. “Do you know what city they lived in?”
“No.”
“Let’s try you mom. What was her full name? I am assuming her surname was Townsend.”
“Lillian Rose Townsend.”
Aiden tried searching her name on several sites while Aimee went to pay the delivery boy. When she returned he told her no luck.
“Is your name Aimee Rose?” Aiden took his food.
“Aimee Roselyn.”
They spent the next hour searching information on her mother and grandmother with no luck at all. She showed him some pictures of her mom. She thought that some of them may have been taken in Neahovia but she couldn’t tell. Aiden offered to take them to a Historian friend of his family. After that they went to work on their reports.
Sunday morning Aimee went to church then met up with Lexi for lunch. She had a lot to tell her about the Fall Ball. Apparently Ava showed up with another guy. She was in front of a camera at every chance she got. Aimee was not surprised. She guessed that was her way of getting back at Aiden.
After lunch she went home and she printed her reports put them in the correct binders. Then she called and checked in with her dad before taking a walk on the beach. She took a nice stroll down to the south end of the beach. She ended up at one of the most beautiful lighthouses she had ever seen. It made her think of how Jesus was her lighthouse.
♥ ♥
Lady. Y had found her mole. They had been doing good getting in close with Aimee. She barely mentioned her family to the mole. But they was on the watch. Mr. X called her last night to inform her that Aimee and Aiden had been surfing the net for information on her mother and grandmother. He was able to block the sites before she found out anything. No secrets can be revealed. The stakes are too high.
Lady Y followed Aimee to church and dinner with her friend Lexi. Aimee didn’t mention anything to her about her searches. Right now all is good as long as no one else figures out Aimee is here. As long as she can keep the truth from Aimee Lady. Y’s plans for Aimee will stay on course just as she had planned.
♥ ♥
The next day Aimee stayed busy with her classes. After her last class she and Aiden joined some of their classmates: Julia, Leo, Milton, and Ruby at Franks Place. Frank’s was a quite family pub a few miles from the University. It had a wonderful Christian feel. They went to celebrate surviving and passing their first major exams. The six friends had the same class schedule. Today they decided to form a study group. Tonight they would work out the details.
Frank went to Aimee’s church so she went and spoke with him for a few minutes. She loved the atmosphere he had created with his pub. It was all the enjoyments of a regular pub with no alcohol.
On the way back to her seat she noticed a guy dressed in brown seating on a stool by himself. Normally she would have not thought much about it but that was not the first time she noticed him lurking around.
She took Aiden to the side and told him. Aiden went to talk to the guy. He said he was waiting for his carry out and had no clue who they were. Aimee spoke to Frank he had never seen the guy in his pub before. Frank said he came in shortly after Aimee and her friends. Frank decided to make the gentleman’s to go order top priority.
The guy left as soon as he got his food. Something about him seemed to make Aimee fell nervous. But he left with no problem. That allowed Aimee’s nerves to settle and she began help planning the study group. Since Aimee and Aiden had the largest flat everyone agreed to meet at their place on Tuesdays and Thursdays for study group. Ruby volunteered to make a snack schedule.
That night Aimee couldn’t think of much but that guy. He had been in several of the same places as them lately. One thing that bothered her was that it was not just when she was with Aiden. He was following her. She checked her purse for her mace and a working flashlight. She was not going out by herself just yet. There was still so much of the city she didn’t know about. She could not afford to get lost.
She called her dad and had a short conversation with him. He was busy with campaign stuff and work at his office so he couldn’t speak long. He asked her the basic questions. How was she? How was school and that sort of stuff? It was times like this she really missed her mom. Someone she could talk too, ask for advice and generally make her feel better. She needed a mothers touch. She debated a few minutes and then called Miss Opal. She was the caregiver at the plantation and Gran was her best friend. After Gran died Miss Opal stepped in grandmother role with Aimee.
Miss Opal answered on the first ring. Aimee told her about school. The dinner she had with Aiden and how Ava reacted. She gave her details about every roommate. She even told her how she and Aiden had tried to find out information on her mom and grandmother. Opal offered to look for something around the house when she had the chance. Aimee finally told her about the guy at Franks. Opal was concerned she suggested that Aimee and her friends think about joining a self-defense course of some sort. She like the idea of Aimee having her mace and a flashlight on hand. She told Aimee to keep her cell charged.
Aimee talked to Opal for nearly an hour. At the end of the phone call Aimee promised to call her at least once a week. When she hung up she went down and watched a movie with Colin and LJ.
Josiah was out with his band again. When he came in the house he reeked of alcohol and was using fowl words. Aimee hated when he came in like this he scared her enough when he was sober. He was always so negative and such a downer. Aimee really worried about him she prayed for him every night.
Colin took Josiah to his room and then came back down shaking his head. “He really needs to get a grip.”
Aimee looked over at Colin from her chair. “What is his story anyway?”
Colin looked up at the stairs. He was getting ready to tell her when Aiden, Lexi, Piper and Sophia came in.
“What’s whose story?” Piper asked.
“Josiah’s.” Aimee replied.
Colin shook his head. “I don’t know where to start. Josiah was born on a cold dark night…”
Aimee threw a pillow at him. “Be serious. Why is he so miserable?”
“Ok. But first we need to have a history lesson.” Colin began in a monotone professor voice. “In the late 80’s early 90’s our country was having a civil war. It did not make national headlines because of a far more dangerous war of that time.”
Aiden laughed. “How bout I do the history part then you can tell her about Josiah.”
“Aimee the war was in the early 90s. It was started by a group of radicals. It was called The Radical War. They wanted to overturn our Monarchy. The head of the radicals was upset because his niece would not marry my dad. So he decided to begin war and take my family down. When he seen that he was no match for our military he began targeting single women around his nieces age and widowers. He was so evil it was rumored he even killed his own wife.”
Aimee covered her mouth. “Oh my goodness. He sounds horrible.”
Piper looked at Aimee. “He was horrible. My mom was lucky she had already married my dad.”
“Anyway.” Aiden continued. “The women who could afford to leave fled the country. My family enlisted the help of a secret service the United States had and they helped these ladies leave Neahovia safely.”
“Like immigration or something.”
“No they just ensured them safety until they got out of Neahovia. It was up to them to find shelter. Many had family in the other countries and that is where they stayed.”
“And those who could not afford to do so.”
“Like I said my family tried to help them. We set up multiple shelters to protect them. But some refused to leave their homes. They wanted to stay and take their chances fight for what was theirs.”
Lexi was pale. “Some of them died trying to protect the homes that had been in their families for years.”
“How did you stop this demon?”
“Eventually our Armed Services found him and captured the radicals. Some died during the battle the others are in prison.” Aiden added.
“So did you catch the master mind of this radical group?”
“He was among the ones killed.” Piper added.
“Ok what does all this have to do with Josiah?”
Colin looked at her “Ok his mom and grandma chose to stay. One night the Radical Army attacked their house. More so his mom. She was taken advantage of by a few of the Radical Soldiers. As a result she became pregnant with Josiah.”
“Oh.”
“There is more. Josiah’s grandmother wanted his mom to leave the country and have an abortion but she just couldn’t do it. She was a Christian and that stood against everything she believed. She died shortly after giving birth to Josiah. His grandmother was left to raise him. But she constantly blamed God and Josiah for his mother’s death. When he was eight she passed away too.”
“So he was an orphan?”
“I guess that is the term but his mother was a cousin of my dad’s. So my dad and mom took over custody of him. Mom has tried to help him but he has slipped into such a dark place. We just keep hoping someday he will let go of the pain.” Colin had tears in his eyes.
Aimee was crying. “I know how hard it is too loose your mom and grandmother. I am so lucky I have my dad.”
“Yeah we often forget that.”
LJ came over and sat in the chair with Aimee. “Are you ok?” She nodded.
He shook his head and looked at Colin. “I never knew all that about Josiah. We always just thought he was weird.”
Aimee looked at him. “That’s not nice. Most people like him have a story.”
“I am sorry I just hadn’t thought that.”
Aimee smiled. “Oh LJ. I have so much to teach you.”
Colin stood. “I am going to check up on him.”
Aimee waited for him to leave. “That is so sad.”
Aiden was rattling loose change in his pocket. “Yeah, Josiah’s grandmother left the entire inheritance to him. Colin’s parents have tried everything to help him. He really could make something great of his life.”
“Are Colin’s parents Christians?” Aimee asked.
“No.” Piper answered.
Aimee looked at her. “Well Piper we need to pray hard for him.”
Piper nodded and when Colin came down everyone changed the subject.