Bring me to life

*One year ago*

Looking down at my mother's grave I start to quietly sob. She was my rock. The one person that truly understood me.There was never a moment she didn't make my life better. Most days I felt like she was the only person I could turn to. Sadly that day has come and gone. We buried her on the property against my wishes. I guess I had the idea of coping being easier if she isn't so close.

"Grace?" I turn to look at Camille. The woman my father replaced her with. After her numerous surgeries it was hard to tell that she was previously a strikingly gorgeous woman. Besides her breaking apart families she was well known in our town as an attorney. Cut throat and vicious. Now that my mother has passed there is no safe haven to go to when she is in her "moods". I wish I was given a chance to grieve. That's something people don't tell you about.. How difficult it is to move on after the only person you trusted is now gone.

"Please..go away." I just want to cry. I don't want to fight. This is all I can pull myself to do. Come to her grave and talk. Which has always lead to me crying after.

"No! You spend all your time at this stupid grave. Nothing th-" Before she can finish I grab her by the throat. For the past two years, all I've heard is that my pain is an issue for everyone else. The sherif made it to where I cant even call to check up on her case. When did it become a bad thing to feel? The rage I was feeling from three months of holding in how pissed I am no one cares she's dead replaced my sadness briefly.

"Did you just call my mother's grave stupid? If it weren't for her you wouldn't have a damn thing." I spat. I can't stop looking at her. There is fire in my eyes and fear in hers. The feeling of her trying to get away seems to make me stronger. I can hear the loud thuds my father and brother Anthony's boots are making as they quickly approach us.

"Gracelynn put her down now!" My father screams at me with the look he had when I first told him I didn't want to live here for a reason. This was it. There was never a means to an end. I was slowly losing my temper now that she's gone and even though he'd never admit it he was quickly feeling the emptiness now that she's gone.

"You're just like your mother. Do you know how this would go if you had actually hurt her? What if she had died? You think of no one but yourself." I slowly drop her and look at my father. I see Anthony standing looking conflicted. This definitely isn't a situation he wanted to be in.

"You wouldn't have a fuck toy anymore. Big whoop! We are standing on the grave of the woman who gave you your children. Who gave up her family just for you to wake up one morning and say you don't love her anymore. She did everything for you. You repaid her by taking her business and sleeping with the first whore you could come across." I see the hurt in his eyes but I'm not wrong. She "gained weight" after birthing 5 of his children. She dedicated herself to the craft she loved. All things he faulted for. She was never thanked for giving up her size 0 body for his wants of a family. Or never speaking to her Oma or mother again. Ever. The few things that she did love and give up for him were never appreciated or brung up when he spoke of her. Only things she did that didn't appease him. I turn around and start the hike back to the house.I'm done arguing. Quite frankly, I'm done.

"Grace," My oldest brother Anthony looks at me concerned. As I make it into the house he closes in behind me. Once I make it to my room he closes the door behind himself. I grab my duffle from under my bed along with the money I have saved up from the years I worked down at pops shop on the docs. I can feel the look he's giving me. It's the same one he had when he caught me smoking a year ago. Living with my father has him trained to think no one should see anyone as greater than him. None of them cried at mom's funeral. Not one. I continue to fill it with all my necessities

"Graciee, calm down. We all miss mom, but we are not gonna leave. Think-"

"Think rationally? Is that what you were going to say? Huh Anthony? Well guess what? Im so damn tired of being the only one who wants to know what the hell happened to OUR mother. I'm not gonna sit around while the people who shot her dead are running free. So if you're going to stop me you might as well get ready for a fight from hell. Get in touch when your head is out of your ass." I grab a the now full duffle and begin making my way out of the room.

"The police will handle it Grace. Think about this." He looks at me pleadingly. I shake my head. The police have shut everyone out of the investigation. There is prints all over her house. An attempt to put a order of protection against a man named Cameron West. The same man I came home to beating her half to death when they were together. Multiple people they can bring in for questioning. It's time someone took this case serious. The one cop who was trying is plugged and no one thinks all of this is linked. I feel like the only person with eye some days.

"Oh my damn. It's like everyone is blind. It has been two years and there has been no evidence followed up on, and the cop who gave a shit and was trying to help is killed. Is that all just a damn coincidence? I didn't think so. Somebody is hiding something. I want answers. This is something everyone here should care about. Are you going to join me to find who killed our mother or move the fuck outta my way?!" He steps to the side looking shocked. I walk passed my older brothers-one of which I know was listening to my convo. I make my way to the garage and put the duffle in the trunk. I slowly look up to see my Nathaniel attempting to get in the car with what looked like a bag of his own. Together we were the closest of us all. We completed classes to graduate together earlier this year. He was also the only one to check up on mom and I. I can hear him in the shower sobbing some mornings. Unfortunately, our father raised them to think they are emasculated when they show emotions. I think he's the only other person who's been visibly hurt by this.

"Go back Nate."

"Why? You are the youngest,and the toughest of us all. And you made some good points. This situation has never sat good with me. I want to know about this just as bad as you do. " I just nod and start up the car. This was going to be one hell of a journey.