CHAPTER THREE: DEFOLIATION 1985

Amelia was trying to adjust to the changes that had occurred in her life over the past few months,

A baby who gave her immense joy just by staring into his eyes,

A husband who doted on her more now than ever since the baby came or was it because she almost went mad with grief due to the heartbreaking news that tipped her world on its axis.

Grandma Esme and Maria were gone,

Just like that.

She still remembered the day she got the news from Jonathan.

Salome had become a frequent face in the house, they were in the garden having iced tea, Suddenly she felt so cold and empty like a huge draft of wind had just passed through her.

Her hands shook as she struggled to set her cup gently on the table,

She brought her son close enough to inhale his soothing baby smell, she found that doing so really settled her nerves.

"Are you ok ma'am? You look really pale"

"Uhmm, I don't know, I feel so strange, like something wrong is about to happen,

I need to go check on my Grandmothers" the sudden humming in her bones felt like a warning of some sorts,

She wasn't sure but she felt this fierce need to check on them.

Amelia stood with Josh in her arms, wiggling to get out of her embrace, he could probably feel her anxiety.

She had gotten to their yellow painted hallway that led to the entrance of their home when she met Jonathan looking eerily calm,

He gave her a certain look that unsettled her nerves, she could feel her anxiety ramping up by the minute as he just stared at her with a hint of pity.

"Amelia, look at me, I need to tell you something that you need to take in gently, I need you to be strong for Joshua and I, Ok?"

"Something is wrong, isn't it? I can already tell from your face but you know what, just tell me on the way, I need to check on my Grandmas first" She held Josh in the crook of her arm while searching for the car keys in the bowl that held all kinds of knick knacks.

"Amelia, they are gone, They didn't wake up this morning so the maid went to check in on them, They had smiles on their faces when they were found ,

It was a peaceful sleep baby" She paused, holding tightly to the keys, eyes brimming with tears, then let out a wail so loud, startling Joshua who squirmed to get out of her hold.

"Amelia, give him to me, he is crying" She had no idea she was holding onto him so tightly,

she handed a red faced Joshua who looked ready to blow the roof down to let his discomfort be known.

"I could feel it in my heart that something was wrong, but to think that they won't be around to see him grow up, to help me when I am lost.

They really are gone" She keeled over as soon as Jonathan took the baby from her.

Salome walked in on them,

curious about the noise she heard on her way to drop the glasses, she immediately took the baby from Jonathan, as he tried to comfort his wife, gathering her in his arms as she wept unconsolably on the paved stone ,

Her blue eyes looked like melting ice left to thaw mercilessly in the sun.

"Melia, please calm down" He gently rubbed her hair, hoping it would at least help subside her tears.

Salome tried to comfort the bawling red faced baby in her arms,

Mrs Francis looked like a ghost had passed through her,

barely hanging on to the present,

Her husband desperately tried to make her aware of her surroundings.

She seemed so far off.

"shhh shhh " She cooed at the baby, moving rhythmically to ease his cries. she hoped Mrs Francis would be okay,

She was a very kind Boss, thoughtful also, taught Salome about distilling spirits, sometimes spoke about flowers and her work hours were flexible because of Sylvia.

She had no idea what happened to elicit that type of reaction from her but only hoped Mrs Francis would be okay in the end.

She could hear Mr Francis repeatedly call out his wife's name,

Leaving them as she tried to rock little Josh to sleep.

Jonathan watched helplessly as Amelia tethered on the edge of grief,

He knew what her Grandmothers meant to her, Especially the fact that they got to meet his son.

It was a huge deal to Amelia but it seemed her Grandmothers held on only to witness the birth of their son.

He had a feeling that Grandma Esme already knew,

That wily woman had an innate feeling about things.

She just seemed so clairvoyant.

He knew he would have to work hard to bring Amelia back from the despair she felt right now,

she cared deeply,

So a loss was great to her, especially the women who raised her to be who she was today.

He had no idea what he would do if she was lost to him,

She held his demons at bay.

"Baby, look at me, Listen to me, I am here for you, Joshua is here for you,

Your Dad is here for you,

We have still have each other, Please come back to me" He hugged her tightly as they knelt on the floor of the hallway leading to their entrance,

Her pain was evident through the heavy but silent sobs that shook her body as she held on to him for dear life.

Salome watched the private moment from the balcony of the nursery with their child sleeping soundly in her arms,

Her worry only mounting at how lifeless Mrs Amelia seemed,

It looked like the light had gone out of those beautiful eyes of hers.

They looked like gems that had lost their shine.

A WEEK LATER

A grand funeral was held for Ma'am Esmeralda and Maria.

The two halves of a soul.

Everyone in town attended the Funeral and took part of the Parade that passed down the streets of Hine Parrish.

Some talked about how kind and caring Ma'am Maria was, The mother hen.

How stubborn yet understanding Ma'am Esmeralda was,

You never wanted to get scolded by her. The closeness that they had which spanned over decades.

It was in a way,

A celebration of their lives with music and food ,

Memories shared,

A nostalgic feeling in the air.

Amelia was solemn all day, Salome was thankfully around to look after Joshua, Holding him as Jonathan was there to thank all guests personally with a checked out wife who stood beside him.

She barely managed to nod at the right time to condolences offered.

Jonathan wondered when would be the right time to give Amelia the letter her Grandmothers left her.

He watched as she moved aimlessly around the people who milled in and out their home,

She never even reached out for her son once,

It worried him a lot.

Her Father was also sporting the same worry on his face as he walked closely behind his daughter.

He had never been so grateful for his presence than this period.

The moment her Father arrived at the house, She had latched onto him in tears while he tried to console her.

He successfully managed to achieve that.

Jonathan felt like a failure,

He couldn't even comfort his wife properly,

She had cried all through the night of the news until her Father arrived the next day.

He was so grateful for Salome,

She helped out with Joshua so he could focus on Amelia.

He and the Comte had decided to deal with the Burial arrangements quickly.

She had not said anything to anyone except her Father,

She seemed so lost and all he wanted to do was to hold her so badly and tell her that everything be okay.

He refused to dwell on his fear of losing her completely to grief,

He would never be able to just be without her.

She was his breath,

The light in his dark world,

He didn't even want to think of any situation where she didn't exist.

He would focus instead on helping her get over this sadness, comfort her and just be there for her,

Luckily the Comte wasn't going till the next week.

He would give her the letter sometime later.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

It had been a rough couple of weeks with a lot of change in emotions,

Mostly sad ones, so Amelia threw herself into the care of her son, her husband and the new centre she wanted to dedicate to her Grandmas.

It was going to be a cultural centre which would be made into two blocks each housing two storey buildings.

The first floor would hold an art gallery and a cafe downstairs,

The second floor would hold a guesthouse, which could house tourists looking to stay for a few days.

The second block of two storey building would hold a Mart, a Bar , a Restaurant , an Open Museum which showcased paintings, old relics from the people who had lived in and was still living in the community with the origin stories behind them.

Les Anges

would be a centre created for tourists attractions, to learn the history of so many cultures that co-exist together in a community, create employment opportunities insiders and outsiders, and also to bring the people together .

Amelia named it in memory of her Grandmothers,

Her angels,

Whom she knew would always be look over her no matter what.

A three day festival would be organized in which parades would take place,

Day or night to celebrate different cultures, people marching to the sound of music

The centre would be at its busiest during this time because of the people who would come in to celebrate.

A farmer's Market would be available every morning,

Where anyone could sell their fresh local produce.

A market where people sold their wares, arts and crafts made,

This would take place Bi-annually.

Amelia knew her Grandmothers would be proud of her hardwork on the centre,

She felt lost without them sometimes,

Like the rug had been pulled underneath her and she still struggled to find her footing.

The knowledge that a tiny human was riding on her for survival,

Her loving and dedicated husband,

Pushed her to keep going on,

It felt draining beneath all that pressure at times.

She sometimes wished she didn't have all these responsibilities.

She liked the peace and quiet of the nothingness she felt sometimes when she let herself wander far away from her feelings in that moment.

Numbing herself to the mounting pressure, stress, Sadness that threatened to overwhelm her at odd times.

That's why she focused on work to drown out her feelings.

Salome was a welcome hand in those desperate moments,

Helping out at work, with Joshua sometimes.

She was the true definition of a true friend also.

The company of another individual was sometimes enough to forget that she often felt suffocated and tired.

Her presence made Amelia grateful for having someone who helped her with things at work, Someone to also talk to sometimes,

She could delegate and start giving her attention to her Child.

She felt guilty whenever she thought of how much she had neglected him,

He wasn't a fussy baby,

Never cried for her once during those trying times,

It would have been worrisome if she actually had been aware of it

It felt ike he was giving her the space she needed,

It gave her the excuse to go far away in her head,

Leaving him alone.

It made her love him more for unintentionally giving her what she needed at the time.

The centre was an approved success with everyone, Including the neighbouring parrishes.

The opening was grand,

The venue filled with new faces eager to experience Les Anges.

Every Parish had their attraction that made them stand out.

Les Anges was Hine's,

Theirs symbolized the inclusivity and exclusivity of the the town all at once.

No Parish had what they had.

The success of the project made Amelia feel so contented,

As she soaked in the rush of people milling about in the gallery,

A rowdiness in the air with quiet talks at the museum,

Discussing the history behind some objects being held.

It couldn't have gone any better.

It was therapeutic in a way for her,

She did this for her Abuelas and herself .

Jonathan had been in contact with Phillip Etienne,

A business man who owned a Plumbing and Bricklaying Services, E.T Services

He had given a contract to E.T Plumbing to particpate in the creation of the cultural centre.

Philip Etienne was one of the few that also lived in the Spices Estates.

He and Phillip went way back,

Back to when Jonathan was a labourer who got contract jobs as a result of Phillip's kindness.

In a way,

Phillip Etienne played a role in two of the most important fixtures in Jonathan's Life.

The birth of his company, Jollin Constructions.

The existence of Amelia in his life.

JANUARY 1972

He had met Amelia for the first time at a construction site,

She came with her Father to check out a branch of Chaumont Distillery that was being built .

All the workers there had been talking about the French aristocrat who owned the piece of construction they were working on and was coming to check how much work had been done,

Talks on If his blue eyed daughter would show up with him.

He paid no mind to the gossip,

He was here for one thing only ,

To work and do a good job.

He had been steadily keeping note of whom he would like to keep as a contact in the future for the company he hoped to build one day

He got the Job as a contract labourer with Etienne Services from his Father's friend

He would definitely be keeping Mr Etienne as a future contact.

Phillip Etienne was like an Older brother to him,

He was kind and valued a hard worker who was loyal

Jonathan was no stranger to labour,

That was what put food on the table in his family,

His Parents were workers, A maid and a clerk who sometimes worked during the weekends as a gardener, so hard work had been ingrained in him from a young age.

He kept that in mind as he used the brick towel,

Laying out bricks with a familiar finesse.

All of a sudden there was a hush amongst the workers,

the whispers got him turning to find out the source ,

He was tongue tied by the fairest lady he had ever seen in his life.

She looked like she had never been in the sun

Long legs, startling blue eyes, raven dark curly tresses which she put up with some type of stick.

He had no idea what about her got him so intrigued ,

Was it how pale and translucent her skin was with a splattering of freckles all over her nose, Was it her plump lips which reminded him of Watermelons,

Was it her eyes that reminded him of bright blue skies

And once she opened her mouth to speak,

The sweetest spanish lilt rang out,

An interesting addition to things that fascinated him about her

A French Lady with a Spanish lilt.

He made sure to stay focused on his task at hand,

Surreptitiously casting glances at her often, watching as she spoke with some of the workers there.

She seemed to have formed a camaraderie with them, laughing at their jokes.

" Hello, I am Amelia Chaumont, nice to meet you" She stretched out her hands for a handshake,

Showing up at his side unexpectedly, a foot away.

"Hello" He muttered under his breath, continuing with his work, not paying her any mind.

No point in catering to her whims,

He was sure her Father already had someone suitable lined up for his princess.

He wasn't fit to shine her boots.

" You are being quite rude, I politely introduced myself, I at least deserve a polite reply.

I could hardly hear a word you said,

You were practically talking to yourself" she had been making gestures with her hands unconsciously,

Her eyebrows did a funny thing in the middle creating a unibrow.

He hid his smile "I don't remember asking for your name in the first place,

I am pretty sure my demeanor tells anyone to back off so this is what you get when you insist on being friendly with the help" . His voice was deceptively flat but there was a flare of interest in the velvety brown eyes that stared down at her.

"Oh really? I thought for sure you were interested in knowing my name at least, after all you have been sneaking glances at me since I got here, which is quite rude" She replied snarkily,

" You obviously think highly of yourself if that's what you claim" He denied, curious to see if she would press further

"I guess I imagined things then, so sorry to bother your work" She left without so much as a bye,

Leaving Jonathan confused ,

He thought for sure she would linger, to argue or something.

It was better this way,

No form of relationship could ever happen between them,

Not even a friendship, He tried to convince himself.

Jonathan made sure to keep to himself after the conversation,

He couldn't help but always steal furtive glances at her whenever she visited,

It seemed like she had forged a friendship with the workers which her Father seemed aware of.

She never gave him another look.

He always looked forward to when he would catch a glimpse of her,

Her laughter seemed to always brighten up his day,

The lilt like a soothing lullaby to his sometimes weary soul.

One night, He stumbled on her in the French Quarter, New orleans.

He caught a glimpse of her in the Gumbo shop

Sitting with a group of people ,

At ease in a place where she couldn't help but stand out with that dewy pale skin of hers,

Jonathan watched her from a few tables away

Amelia Genevieve Chaumont wasn't shy about her choices for sure

"Good day Ladies, What can I start you on for appetizers?" A server stood at their table ready to take their orders down

" Uhmm, I could go for the alligator sausage, Definitely getting red beans and rice for sure" She spoke as her friends scanned the menu,

She put her hair up with a tie on her wrist as the dark skinned lady beside her waited to pass the menu to her.

"I will have the Jambalaya, Blackened catfish salad, Red beans and rice with blackened Chicken to go" Amelia passed the menu to the next lady who started her rattling

"I sometimes forget you are exposed to a lot of creole dishes "

"I know right, I look like I came to the wrong side of town until you hear me speak and my name" The table laughed at the little jab at herself in good humour.

It seemed the one day he picked for his monthly visit to the French Quarter was the day she was also here.

This new side of hers intrigued him even more.

He watched her eat while having his meal, Waiting to see what her next move would be

After ordering a dessert to go,

The group dispersed with talks of the next gathering.

Jonathan approached Amelia as she stood outside the Shop.

"Fancy running into you here"

"Is that surprise I detect, You don't know jack shit about me"

"Wow, retract your claws, I come in peace, I am just a bit surprised that you love to eat here.

You seem familiar with this place"

"There you go again watching me, but you deny it anytime I call you out on it though

This time you admitted to it yourself " Hands folded as she said softly with a knowing look.

Jonathan's laughter took him by surprise "And how exactly did I admit it this time"

"How do you know i eat here, I have been outside for a while so unless you haven't also been eating here also and watching me while doing so, there is no reason why you should know I eat here with such certainty behind your voice" Amelia finished with a smirk

"Wow, You are a smart one, definitely missed your calling as a detective, I have no choice but to admit it this time,

Yes, I was watching you"

Amelia struggled to hold in her chuckles, shaking her head as they started a walk down towards Bourbon Street.

She continued their conversation with an answer to his observation "It's easy to forget that i am also spanish once you look at me,

I had a lot of exposure to two different cuisines simultaneously so naturally I was curious about others.

I am genuinely blessed and lucky to have an accepting family that allowed me to be whoever I wanted to be.

I get the chance to appreciate the cuisine here when i meet my friends here twice a month,

So what's your story?" She nodded at him

"Interesting, well I grew up in Louisiana so naturally I would be into their cuisine but the gumbo shop has been my favourite place to go ever since I knew what good food tasted like.

so I try to come here once every two months" They continued their walk at a leisurely pace.

They had been walking for quite a while before entering The Mystique, a Jazz club which had its lights on

"Would you like to join me ?" Jonathan nodded towards the club

"Yes, I would, I love La Mystique, " She walked ahead of him into the club

Darkness greeted them when they entered, Dim lights which somehow was enough for sight.

A saxophonist was In the centre of the stage, belting out a slow rhythm, people in small circles, surrounding tables set around the dingy dark room.

Smoke wafted in and out of the room, murmurs of conversations going on.

They occupied a table in a corner, the melody of the musician rendered in the air.

" Hmm, I see you like Jazz. I saw you nodding your head to the music as we walked in" Jonathan observed, also motioning for the waiter to approach

Amelia smiled at him revealing a tiny dimple right at the corner of her lips,

Just another fascinating thing about her

" I grew up listening to Jazz music in the house, my father got the love of jazz from my mom so he continued playing it even after death as a way to honour her " She shrugged, a contrast to the piece of information she just dropped

"I am sorry, the loss of a parent couldn't have been easy"

"No it wasn't but they tried not to make me feel it so much, My Abuelas helped my Father a lot in raising me"

"That's a word for Grandmother right?"

"Yes, it is" She chuckled

Jonathan stared at the young lady in front of him and wondered,

If he was ready to get involved in any way with her,

he had plans he already set out for his success in this already difficult world

A world that wasn't so fair to him

He didn't really have time to spend trying to befriend a girl, much less one way out of his league. It came with complications he wasn't so sure would be worth it

But then he looked at her, saw the tiny dimple, her curly locks that she always seemed to put up, those big blue orbs that glitter like sapphires and felt this loosening in his chest

Like his worries didn't seem so big after all

So maybe she was worth the complication after all.

Amelia had noticed him amongst the workers her first time at the site with her father,

He stood out from the rest,

A lone wolf, away from the others even when working,

Dark skinned, so tall, so much curiosity in those brown eyes that resembled her papa's whiskey with the cubes of ice in it

The moment she had felt his eyes on her, goosebumps spread out all over body

It felt like the awareness a prey felt when its predator had it on sight

It had taken her great strength not to react from her spot sitting with the workers, they would notice it right away

His gaze felt like flames that licked her from head to toe

He ignored her question which she chose to let go, She enjoyed their conversations while finally trying whiskey for the third time

You would think she would be a professional by now considering it was her family's business but her Grandmothers made sure she didn't touch until she was of age,

Which would be soon, Not more than a year since she was almost twenty

She wondered if she should tell him about her age, more often than not, people always assumed she was older than she looked

He looked to be in his early twenties even though it was clear he had been exposed to a rough life

He looked like he could handle himself regardless

It was late in the evening when they took a walk around New Orleans

It was dark enough not to elicit stares like they did at noon

He walked her to a junction where a car was waiting for her,

"Today was very much unexpected but I enjoyed every bit of it, Thank you"

"I feel l should say Thank you also, I didn't foresee this day ending like this, I only knew I wanted to talk to you once I saw you,

That's why I watched you, I admit" He put his hands in the air as admission, making her chuckle

"Goodnight Jonathan"

"Goodnight Amelia, Thank you for your time"

That day forged a friendship and union that belied their bond

They built a great friendship in a world that raised eyebrows at them, It led to the a great love story that was the cause of so much happiness and some pain in their lives.

Was their love like that of star crossed lovers?

Jollin Constructions has been in existence for Six years now

After some negotiations with Phillip Etiene, Jonatham became a permanent contract labourer for E T Plumbing Services in exchange for a few temporary contract workers.

Jonathan had created an avenue for other men looking for employment in his neighbourhood

He had a plan and this was only a stop in his journey to success.

He worked under ET plumbing for three years while growing a reputation for his honed skills and creating his personal clientele, saving up to start out on his own.

Half of the workers he brought for Mr Etienne went with him

By that time, he was with Amelia who gave him further encouragement, believed in him so much that he went ahead and took the first step.

She would also travel to see her Grandmother who was grooming her to take over the company and spending some time with her Father.

They knew about their relationship, Jonatham having met them on a few occasions.

Her Grandmothers left an impression, Like two contrasting pairs that worked so well

One so intimidating, the other so caring

Her father observed him with guarded eyes

He knew he would only earn their full acceptance and respect once he made something of himself

He knew he was meant for something greater other than being a labourer.

He could feel it so he would work much harder to achieve that feeling

Amelia was unexpected in his plans but much welcome,

She was his anchor and light in the midst of his struggles and darkness.

Phillip Etienne would always be dear to Jonathan's heart,

he had come a long way because of Etienne and he made sure to show his appreciation.

If not for Jollin Construction, the former would have gone belly up due to it's struggle to keep up with the new growing companies.

Jonathan created a scenario where E.T plumbing would always be his first go to for any of its plumbing services whenever he had a contract,

He now had large contracts that companies like Mansell construction, an old time construction firm

He was a supplier of construction materials, construction services like plumbing, bricklaying, electrical, masonry, carpentry and painting.

His hardwork, sleepless nights , conversations with Amelia about how to start and grow the business finally came to an end

Boy did it pay off immensely!!

Jollin Constructions was one of the fast growing company that's about to start its venture into the international market.

June 1985

He had been waiting for the perfect time to tell Amelia about the letter her Grandmas left her.

A bit wary that it might bring up all these feelings that were beginning to fade, he wondered if he made a mistake waiting as long as he did

It had not been an easy few months, things were just starting to get back to normal

Amelia had gone through a period where things just seemed so dark and bleak, she struggled to keep it in for them. He noticed that and tried to give her space but stay close by

He stopped hovering as he noticed that doing so only added to the pressure she felt

He let her come back slowly to him with the fear and realization that it was out of his hands,

he needed her to come back to him or he would start to lose himself

Work was a great distraction for her to put her all into, Salome helped a lot with the baby cause Amelia sometimes needed space away from them.

He made a note to double her salary, she was God sent.

As he held the letter in his hands contemplating what to do, Amelia walked in

"What's that in your hands?. You look like you are about to burn a hole through it" She chuckled

"I am trying to make a big decision here, so I am wondering what to do" He seemed so earnest as he said so

"Ok, is there a way I can help, your brows look so furrowed, I am worried it could start to make a dent on your face" She straightened his brows with so much intent causing him to smile. he was so glad to see back to her mischievous self again.

" No, just being here is help enough. This is a letter from your Grandmothers, i was wondering if this was the right time to give you since you have not been yourself for a while" Honesty coated his words as he stared her in the eyes so she saw his worry and he wanted to know if she was prepared.

She smiled, taking his hands in hers gently "Babe , I know I worried you a lot after their deaths, I wasn't myself but I am better now all thanks to you for being patient enough and believing that i could get back to my old self with time" She began stroking his face gently

"It doesn't mean I am not aware of the fear you probably felt at that time, For me, Yourself and Joshua. I know you are scared of that happening again but I assure you, I am perfectly fine now. I am stronger than before and that's all cause you gave me what I needed, time to sort out my feelings and grieve. I promise I am fine. it was quite smart to hold onto it, I would have broken apart if you gave me earlier, for sure" She kissed him with intent, hoping to convey her feelings and gratitude to him.

He poured his feelings into the kiss till they broke apart for air, their foreheads pressed together as they basked in the tender moment

" I went to the house and saw the letter on her bedside table with your name on it"

"Thank you so much for holding onto this for me. I love you so much"

"I love you more"

She accepted the letter with shaky hands, Opened and read

Dear Amelia,

Mija, I am writing this to you before I take my last sleep in this world.

I already know our absence will affect you greatly and if it's going to be like last time when My Natalia left us then I have to urge you not to let the grief drag you under.

This is not the same as before, we have stayed on this earth for so long that meeting my Arturito is a blessing I never expected to realize.

I got to hold him, smell him, make him smile at me. Our time is simply over and there is nothing wrong with that. It Is okay, instead celebrate our lives for we lived this long to tell our story, share our wisdom and meet another creation from our legacy.

we lived to the fullest and now we are going peacefully.

You have two lives that depend on you, your Father also, if you believe it.

I know the pressure from that realization and your grief will battle it but you must not let either win.

You are my fiery girl who knew what she wanted from the moment she could talk.

I know you believe things will not be the same, that you will not be fine but Mija, you will be because You are not alone in all this.

Lean on your husband, gather strength from him , comfort from Arturito and Faustian.

We are lending you our strength always as you navigate motherhood and grief from loss.

Never let the grief or pressure win. Don't give in to the numb feeling you might struggle with.

Think of us whenever you look at the skies for we are Angels, always watching over you all.

We are forever in your heart, with you.

We Love you Always. Give Arturito a kiss for us.

Abuela Esme & Maria.

Amelia finished the letter with silent tears streaming down her face

"Come here baby, I am so sorry I didn't give you the letter soon enough" He cooed at her like she was a baby

"No, it's fine that you waited to give me, I probably wouldn't have handled it well then.

Thank you for giving me now, I think I needed to hear from them one more time. I feel at peace now"

"Are you okay?"

Let's take a vacation, go somewhere to get our minds off the way we have been feeling for the past two months"

"So we would be carrying a seven month old baby with us, that seems like a lot"

"No, it's not. we could hire a nanny. We deserve it, we have been through a lot, besides we just finished a huge project. we kind of deserve a break" He wiggled his brows at her eliciting a laugh from her "So what do you say hmmm? You in?"

"Where would we even go?

Do you know the kind of work that would go into planning this, with the baby, the centre just happened , I can't leave right now when things are moving " Amelia recounted the things to consider

"Melia, look at me, we will travel to Europe, visit your hometown, share the chores of handling Josh" He moved an errant lock behind her ears, whispering " Just imagine us, with our Walkman playing our favourite songs, discovering new places on the maps like pieces of a puzzle, drinking our favourite wine on picnics. Can you picture it already?"

"You crazy man,

Yes Mr Johnny, I can picture it,

Count us in" She blew raspberries on the baby's belly, he gurgled in laughter

Jonathan watched them with a smile, it had been a while since she called him that. It seemed that she was coming back to herself, the letter definitely helped.

A break from all these tedious people was what they needed, to bring back a little colour into their lives.

Imagine his surprise a few days later, expecting Amelia to be packing a bag

"Uhm baby, what's going on? I thought we agreed on travelling, you should be deciding what to pack or not"

"That's because I thought it would be better if we wait till Josh is at least one year before we go on that kind of adventure, I don't want to deal with the stress of handling him on a trip. He might be a calm baby but he can be fussy when he is uncomfortable

We are talking about a different environment for God knows how long" An eyebrow rose up to emphasize the statement made

"Oh Boy, Don't I know that?" Jonathan muttered beneath his breath

"Baby, we can go on a weekend trip with him, Somewhere not too far, I also don't want to leave the centre for long" Amelia tried to cajole him while running her hands all over his chest, waiting for his reply "So what do you think?"

"Hmm, You Win, Let's do that, but you owe me a trip"

"Deal" They shook on it as Josh clapped in glee or acceptance of the deal

They did go on their travel once Josh was a year old,

They spent almost five months touring Europe, visiting countries and learning about cultures as they carried their one year old son along on their adventures.

Their adventures happened three times In four years, Different countries each tiime

Everything seemed all right with their world,

They had gone through a little hell and come out stronger as a Family.

Or so they thought they did.