FULL CIRCLE
It had been three intense weeks since Aurie fell comatose. It is 7 AM, and Amelia and Carlisle Fortuna, Aurie's parents, were seated at their breakfast table in their lavish New York home, attempting to maintain an illusion of normalcy. Adiel entered the dining room and walked straight to the table.
Adiel:"Hi Carl, Hi grandma."
Carlisle:"Hello grandson!"
Amelia:"Hello... did you sleep here?"
Adiel:"Yes, in my room."
The pleasantries shattered as an unexpected group entered the dining room: Hugh'sparents, the Adler couple, Helena and Edward. The shock was evident on every face, even the servants standing discreetly around the table widened their eyes.
Helena broke the silence with a vicious sweetness. "Dear Amelia, close your mouth please."
Edward followed up with aggressive cheer. "Nice to meet you all again!!!"
Helena and Edward were smiling genuinely, but the smiles were weaponized. Amelia was internally furious, asking herself, "Why did my people let them in?!" Despite the rage, she maintained her poise and replied, "Helena, Edward, have a seat."
Helena:"Are you sure?"
Adiel, Amelia, and Carlisle looked at each other, unsure how to react to the sheer audacity of the Adler presence. Helena upped the pressure immediately. "Aren't you going to stand up and kiss me? Amelia and Carlisle?"
Adiel, always the diplomat, stood up immediately and kissed Helena on the right cheek, then shook hands with Edward. He spoke with genuine delight, attempting to restore peace. "Let's eat, grandma, grandpa."
Helena offered a fake smile. "Of course, dear. We'll eat. I'm just kidding."
Servants quickly added place settings and food to the table. Helena launched the attack instantly. "Where's Aurie?"
Amelia:"Let's eat first."
Edward:"We know what you did, Amelia."
Amelia:"Aurie is not dead, that's me, being a mother to take care of everything~"
Adiel, confused and defensive, jumped in. "What? Amelia?"
Helena laughed internally, delighted that Adiel was clearly unaware of Amelia's manipulation of his mother's will.
Carlisle:"Why don't we eat first."
Helena:"I am full, actually."
Edward poured a glass of fresh orange drink and asked Amelia the direct question. "Why you always manipulate everything, Amelia?"
Adiel:"What? Why are they asking you that, Amelia?"
Amelia:"I didn't do anything."
Adiel pressed her: "What part of mom's temporary will that you manipulated?"
Amelia:"Nothing."
Helena clapped her hands in slow, stinging sarcasm. "Wow Amelia, you're always unbelievable."
Edward:"I really wonder why you did that. Very pathetic."
Helena:"What are you thinking, Amelia? That you're richer than us?"
In the living room, a little distance from the dining table, Aurie suddenly appeared in her translucent-human form. She was emotionally overwhelmed, seeing her parents and Hugh's parents together; a rare, explosive gathering. All fighting over her manipulated will.
Helena sliced a piece of medium-rare beef on her plate, then insulted the food, aiming the attack directly at Amelia's prestige. "Even your meat here tastes... unbelievable." Edward tasted some too, and added, "Bad food. Like your personality, Amelia."
Helena and Edward laughed in sarcasm and insult, pushing Amelia to the very edge.
Filled with white-hot maternal fury at Amelia's denial, and channeling the sheer power of her rage, Aurie touched a small, elegant transparent vase. With a force she didn't know she possessed, she hurled it. The throw was immense, but it didn't quite reach the table; it cracked loudly near the table, behind Carlisle.
Everyone, the Fortunas, the Adlers, and the servants, saw theunbelievable flying vase that landed and shattered near them. All of them froze in shock and fear.
Aurie, herself, was shocked and asked herself, "How did I do that?"
Amelia shrieked: "WHO'S THAT?"
Servant 1:"We don't know, your highness."
All of them glanced around with wide eyes, feeling goosebumps. They were all thinking the same thought: "Was the vase flying?"
A male servant quickly cleaned the broken glass, the shattered red roses, and the spilled water from the carpet.
Edward and Helena, satisfied that their message and the supernatural disruption had landed, stood up. "Bye pathetic people. Always remember what Hugh said to you, Amelia." They walked out without touching the food.
Adiel:"What did you do, grandma?"
Amelia:"I didn't do that, obviously. I'm here with you & the vase came~"
Adiel pressed her: "Not that, Amelia."
Carlisle:"Shall we all eat then?!"
Adiel shouted: "NO WAY!!!"
Amelia, desperate to regain control: "Why are you mad? I didn't do anything. You were there... All I mentioned are all from that document. I didn't do anything." trying to distract Adiel.
Adiel rolled his eyes in disgust, then violently threw his table napkin onto his unfinished breakfast plate.
Carlisle, looking at Amelia with newly awakened suspicion, asked a question that was dangerously close to the truth. "What are you not telling us, Amelia?"
Amelia held Carlisle's right hand, forcing eye contact. "I didn't do anything. Let's finish eating. Okay?" Her grip was desperate, demanding his silence.