Life after Death: The Afterlife of Hezekiah Chamblee

Chapter Forty-Five: Resolutions, Final Entries, and Forgiveness

Third-Person POV

Boston General Hospital, Three Hours after the Chamblee Wedding Scandal...

"Thank the Lord Almighty that you're awake," Minnie Jean breathed, shedding tears of relief as she, Ty'Reek and his grandparents, and Horace and his wife hovered over the now-awake Cameron Chamblee. "The devil thought he had you, but the Lord said otherwise."

Cameron smiled wanly, his eyes full of tiredness from the morphine IV drip. "Minnie Jean, I saw Hezekiah," he slurred tiredly. "He said that he's finally at peace and happy, told me to kiss you."

The older woman's tears fell harder as she lowered her head to allow the young man to fulfill the request, the young man kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you, baby," she sobbed. "You get yourself some rest, hear me?"

Cameron nodded slowly as he closed his eyes once again.

"Minnie Jean, it's going to be okay," Horace told the older woman gently as he and Lois wrapped the older woman gently in a hug. "You now know that Hezekiah's in God's loving hands and that he's at peace."

"I know," the former head maid replied, a lump forming in her throat. "Doesn't make it any more easier since I almost lost another innocent soul to that family."

"We know," Ty'Reek commented. "I can't be mad at Mariah anymore since she had no idea what happened. Neither did her man."

The door swung open to reveal the bride and groom in question with Senator Coleman and his wife alongside Captain Slater following behind them. "Minnie Jean?" Mariah said hesitantly. "I'm so sorry about everything."

Minnie Jean turned to the young woman, approaching her until they were face to face. And then...the older woman wrapped her arms around a now-crying Mariah. "I know, my child," she replied. "It's going to be okay."

Soon, a giant group hug took place as everyone was silently crying for the boy who was  recovering from the gunshot...and his late older brother who was the key behind a butterfly effect like none other.

**************

The next day, everyone reconvened in Cameron's hospital room as the teenager in question was now finishing his breakfast while enjoying conversation with Valentin (whom Minnie Jean liked right away). "How are you feeling?" Mariah asked her younger brother.

"Surprisingly enough, I feel fine," Cameron replied. "Anyway, I heard that you and Andrew made it official by Captain Slater since your original wedding went off the rails with our family being arrested."

"We did. Once we're settled far away from Boston, we're going to have a second go at a different ceremony, one with people we can trust."

Cameron nodded. "So you and Andrew are leaving Boston too?"

"After everything that happened and our family lying about Hezekiah, it's all for the best," Mariah replied as Andrew came to her side. "And I know that you might not still approve of us, Andy and I want you to be in our lives, be willing to make a new start and begin anew."

Cameron turned to Valentin, who nodded once. "I can do that," he replied. "I can't truly forget about how you treated 'Kiah in  the past, but I can forgive you. Just promise me that you and Andrew won't follow in our parents' footsteps."

"We won't, Cameron," Andrew vowed. "I am so sorry for-"

"I know you are, Andrew. Just promise me that you and Mariah will be loyal to each other and love your kids the same. Favoritism is not what we need anymore."

"For sure," Mariah agreed.

Captain Slater and the female DA came into the room with the doctor behind them. "Cameron," the older man greeted as he held Hezekiah's journal. "I wanted to give this back to you after my investigators read what's inside to get an insight of your late brother's life. Everyone had a good cry after what they read. I know Calhoun and I did. Your brother was a true warrior for going through what he went through."