The Ultimate Story

Chapter 2

Lexi looked through the mailbox with a dash of hope, but as she reached the last letter that hope died out and turned into disappointment. No letters for about 3 months. 11 months and eight days, it'd been since her parents left to go to Ecuador. She didn't meen to count it was like a mental calendar. She walked back in the house. Howey popped up from the top of the stairs with a looked of hope. He said "Anything?" Lexi looks down. The smile from his face dispersed. He walked into the other room. She set the mail down on the table. Gramps came dancing through the kitchen, and Grams was cooking breakfast. Gramps sat down at the table to read the mail. He looks through the mail until he stops and says "What's this?" Lexi says "From dad?" He says "No, it's addressed to Alexis Stevens from MUNY?" She says "Eh." Howey looks to her and says "Lex, it's the biggest music school in the country." She says " Maybe I'm not interested." He says "Come on ever since you were little you dreamed of going to that school." She says "Well I'm too young." Gramps says "It says there's a pre-freshman program available for high school students." She says "Not enough money," Gramps says "Can apply for a scholarship." She says "Well I can't go because there's things here for me to do." Howey says "Lke what. Hoping til we go insane that mom and dad didn't go to Ecuador and die." She turns and runs up the stairs in tears. Gramps starts to get up and say "I'll talk to her." Howey places his had on his grandfathers shoulder and says "It's my job." He sits back down as Howey goes up to the his sister's room. He knocks on the door. She says "Go away."

He walks in and sits down at the end of her bed. He places his hand on his sister's leg and says "Sit up we need to talk." She sits up, and he places his arm around her and says "Sometimes thinking that they're gone is about the only way for me to not breakdown from missing them." She wipes tears from her face and says "And thinking one day a letter is gonna show in the mailbox telling us they're fine and the mail service was just backed up keeps me from accepting that they really might not be coming back. " She sniffles and Howey pulls his sister into his chest. Then Gramps walked in the room and said "Lex, How, there's a letter here addressed to the both of you, from a Hamilton law firm." He hands them the letter. It reads "This letter must only be opened in the presence of both Alexis Emily Stevens and Howard Jay Stevens." Lexi looks to her brother he shrugs his shoulders. It contiunes and says "We strongly suggest for you to meet us at Hamilton's law Firm on January 12th at 9 am in regards to your parents wareabouts." Gramps says "Do you think they know something?" Howey says "Why not? That was the place we went the day of Hamilton's funeral."

That day actually happened to be January 11th that they got the letter so it was quite convenient. Lexi and Howey were both dressed in business suits because Lexi didn't really enjoy wearing dresses. They walked into the office after being droven by a limo. Lexi wore gray blazer and dress pants with a bright purple under shirt and Howey wore a black suit jacket and pants with a white undershirt and a blue tie. Howey's dark brown hair was brushed back similar to a young Tom Felton look, and Lexi's golden brown hair was in a bun so it revealed her bright blue eyes. Though this was not Lexi's or Howey's normal style they both looked very sophisticated.

In the lobby, Mrs.Hastings, the woman from before, waited for them with her son. She had dark white hair and her son had jet black hair. When they approached her she greeted them by saying "Mr. and Ms. Stevens thank you for coming." Howey nodded. She said "You remember my son Jeremy." He shakes their hands and says "Nice to see you again." Lexi says "Mrs. Hastings the reunion was very nice, and not to be rude, but you said you had information on our parents." She smiles and says "Just like your father, follow me." She leads them into the large room their parents had gone. She says "Mr. Hamilton and your father had met in regards to your great-grandfather's will. He had gone through a number of tasks in order to be eligable for the inheritance being all of Red's estate." Howey says "Excuse me for interrupting but how is this relevant?" Jeremy says "On each task given by Red, Jason gained a gift. There was total of twelve gifts." Mrs. Hastings continues "One of those tasks took him to Ecuador, where he and your mother are now." Howey says "And?" She says "Well we think that maybe something from the other tasks may help us figure out what happened." Howey says "What kind of something?" She says "Jason's first task was the Gift of Work, for that he was brought out to Texas, to an old friend of your grandfather's." Howey says "Well let's get going." She says "Jeremy will be joining you for supervision purposes, you may each bring a guest." She hands them four plane tickets.

"What do you mean you can't go?" Howey said to his grandparents. Gramps said "Because someone needs to stay with the house and we can't leave just one of us to do it." Howey says to Jeremy "Do we have to bring two people?" He says "The tickets have to be used in order for you to go." Grams says "Why not get one of your friends to go?" Lexi says "Let's go ask Jamie." They run out next door. Lexi knocks on the door. Then the door was answered by Jamie Walters, Lexi's best friend. She had dark brown hair and blue eyes. She says "What's up?" Lexi says "Wanna come on a trip with us?" She says "Where?" She says "Texas. To help find my parents." Jamie says "Hold on." She runs back inside they can hear her voice. She says "Mom can I go to Texas, to help find Lexi's parents." Her mom says "I guess, I mean it is summer. Be careful."Lexi says "Yes." Jeremy says "What about you Howey?" He says "Alex is away at camp, and Ernie is on vacation." Then a boy with light brown hair and green eyes comes up the walkway. This was Cray Walters, Jamie's older brother. He and Howey had been best friends til second grade. Jamie says "Guess what Cray, I'm going to Texas." He says "Cool, I've always loved the country." Jamie says "Why not come with?" Lexi says "We do have one extra ticket, Howey?" He looks to Jeremy says "We absolutely have to use all the tickets." He nods. Then Howey turns to Lexi and Jamie and says "I guess." Jamie says "Be like old times." Howey says "But I'm not sitting next to you on the plane."

Then as they were flying their way to Texas, Jamie and Lexi sat next to each other on the left window side, and Howey, Jeremy, and Cray sat in front of them. When nightfall struck Jamie and Lexi had fallen asleep, Cray had his headphones in and Jeremy was looking at pictures on his phone. Howey points to a small boy standing with a woman and says "Wife and kid." He says "Yeah, my wife Renee, and our son Theo. Theo's godfather was actually Mr. Hamilton." Howey says "Who was Mr. Hamilton exactly?" Jeremy says "My mother and him worked together since she started in the law business. And he and great-grandfather had known each other when Red was just starting out, Hamilton was his lawyer." Howey says "Why don't we know all of this stuff?" Jeremy says "There's a lot of things you don't know about your family. Events and people." He closes his eyes and Howey lies awake thinking about what stuff his parents haven't told him about.