Remembering Us

"What Happened to Marie"

"What about your mother?" Amelia asks after a few moments of silence.

"What about her?" I ask, although there's not much I'm willing to tell her.

"Why didn't you want her talking to me?" She asks and I shake my head.

"It doesn't matter." My mother is a topic we will be avoiding indefinitely.

Amelia starts to stand and a grab her arm.

"You either answer my questions or I'm leaving."

"I will answer all of your questions." I tug her lightly to sit back down on the couch. "Except the ones surrounding my mother. I have not had a relationship with her for a very long time, she's not a part of our life."

She silently studies me and I watch her.

"I'm serious about this."

"I'm serious too. I promise I'm going to start trusting you but I want answers."

"And I'm going to give you answers, but not about my mother."

I know my mothers blatant disapproval of her will crush her and I'm worried without her memory it will push her away.

"How about, in a few days, if you still don't remember, you can ask about my mother and I will answer." I offer, and she drags her fingers through her hair. An action I've seen her do a million times, a true sign she's frustrated.

"Fine. She grumbles. "But I will be asking again."

"Okay." I smirk, relieved that she's dropped the topic of my mother.

"What happened to Marie?" She questions, not missing a beat.

"That's a heavy topic." I sigh, leaning against the back of the couch.

"More heavy than the fact I don't remember any of the times you told me you love me?"

"You win," I chuckle, my light mood sobering as my thoughts turn. "Right about the time Meghan and Isaiah crosses paths Marie got a new boyfriend. Well, not new." I correct myself. "Xander's father started hanging around the apartment and he was a lot worse than Marie."

I remember seeing the guy once in the hallway. He gave me such a bad vibe I had one of my security guys rent an apartment down the hall.

"The guy was messed up," I shake my head. "He had been let off of multiple assault charges for insufficient evidence. The bruises on Xander were getting a lot worse, they were becoming more noticeable on Zoey, and Ryder's mood had started to change you had said. You told the police he was never happy like he used to be."

Amelia's frown deepens and I pause.

"What happened?"

"Marie and Alex got into some huge fight one night, probably over drugs," We never really new for sure but the little packs of heroin hidden throughout the apartment gave everyone a good guess. "It was the forth of July and everyone was at your apartment. It was only a few months after Meghan and Isaiah got married. We heard gun shots," My mind goes back to that night, I don't admit to being scared very often, but that night I was terrified I would lose everything before I even had it. "Which were followed by screaming. You immediately recognized it as Zoey and started for the door," I remember the way fear clogged my throat at that moment. "I ran passed you, grabbed Zoey, and pulled her into the apartment. There was another gunshot so Johnathan, Isaiah, and I went to the apartment. Xander was holding Ryder who was screaming uncontrollably. Marie had been shot twice and Alex only once." I pause, not knowing how to continue.

"So he killed himself after killing her?" I asks and I was I could tell her yes.

"Xander had the gun."

"Oh my!" Amelia gasps as her eyes fill with tears.

"I had four broken fingers too." A voice suddenly speaks and Amelia jumps.

"Xander." She cries, and our son, dressed in his dark uniform, walks up to her.

"Mom," He starts and she cries harder. Panicked, he sends me a look clearly requesting help.

"I'm okay now." He stands up. "Look."

She sniffles, "You're okay now?"

"Yes, Mom," He laughs lightly, pulling her into a hug. "I've been okay for a long time." I watch his arms tighten around Amelia and he sighs. "Ryder had crawled and found a stash of heroin." He holds her tighter when she moves. "It really scared me. I was too young to know exactly what it was but I knew what it did to Marie, and I didn't want anything like that to happen to Zoey and Ryder. It honestly terrified me seeing my baby brother chewing on a bag of something that made Marie so sick." Jaw clenched, Xander looks at me so I rest my hand on his arm in support. "I flushed it all down the toilet and then Alex was not happy. He came into the apartment looking for it and stated throwing everything he could get his hand on. He was convinced Marie stole it and I was too scared to confess. Then he had the bright idea to use me too try and get her to confess where she hid it."

"Oh my god." Amelia sobs, and it breaks my heart watching her go through this again.

"She had had enough after the fourth finger and pulled a gun out of nowhere. He easily got it from her and put two rounds into her chest. That pushed Zoey over the edge and she ran, looking for you. Alex threw the gun down, continuing to look for his stash when he got too close to Ryder I grabbed it and I just pulled the trigger."

Amelia is no longer crying, simply listening and occasionally sniffling. Xander looks at me, giving me his signature crooked grin.

"Only a few seconds later Dad came rushing in like this hero I had been praying for. It only took him a few seconds to asses the situation and kneel down next to me. I still remember what he said." Zander is still looking at me and his light voice causes Amelia at look up. "It was clear I had just killed someone and this guy in what I knew was at least a very expensive suit kneeled next to me and said 'if you give me the gun I'll buy you some ice cream to eat with Miss Mia' and Ryder just quit screaming altogether and reaches for him without hesitation."

Amelia glances at me, I can't tell what she's thinking and it frustrates me to no end.

"And from that moment on Cameron has been right beside you, taking care of us. He gave us food, clothes, a home, a name to be proud of. Oh my god, dad!"

I suddenly realize there's a tear in my eye. I've never been to emotional but  damn, the kid has never talked about his feelings and now...

"You've never talked about that with us."

"Yeah, well," He stands, straightening. "Don't get used to it."

"Why are you here anyway?" I ask him as he straightens his uniform.

"Something big happened at work." He smile. "A family has been getting mysterious threats and they're putting guesses everywhere. The family's daughter is coming home from spending three years abroad and they want someone with her at all times."

"That someone's you?" I question slowly, unsure how I feel about it. I'm proud of my son and how hard he works on the other hand he puts himself into danger daily.

"Yep, the girl's flight get in tonight and I'm picking her up."

"Xander." Amelia says softly while frowning.

"Be safe." He responds. "I know."

He runs off and Amelia sit in silence for a few moments.

"Thank you." She tells me, breaking it. "You said you took them in for me. Thank you."

"It ended up being one of the best decisions of my life." I tell her honestly, watching as she flushes slightly. "They very quickly became my children and I love them as much as you do."

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