Prologue
It was the start of Jill's freshman year and she thought she was looking forward to the school year. However, that changed a few weeks into the school year when Mr. Hall gave them their first assignment.
"Okay class, since history defines who we are as a nation, it also defines who we are as people. The people that affect our lives shape this history, your history. The people that I'm talking about are your family. Therefore, what I want is a five to ten minute presentation about your family's history. You can go as far back into your family's history as you went. Just remember, no matter what your family has done, big or small, it shaped who we are as a nation and who you are as a person."
Jill was not too happy on the way home from school. I hate History class!! Where do teachers get such dumb ideas for assignments? Besides that, this is History not English! Why do we need to do a presentation anyways? Especially, why do I have to do one about my family? It's not like I have an astronaut for a mom like Tom does. Or like Chris's grandfather who is a major movie star. Sue's uncle is a famous football player, but what do I have? Let's face it, your family is basically boring Jill.
When Jill got home, she was in a very bad mood.
"Mom, I'm home!"
"How was school today dear?"
"Oh just great!! Mr. Hall gave us a writing assignment. Well a presentation really." Sarcasm laced her voice.
"Isn't Mr. Hall your History teacher?" Her mom asked curiously.
"That's right."
"Well, what was the assignment?"
"We're suppose to do a five to ten minute presentation on our family's history." Jill told her mom with anger in her voice.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Just that everyone will find out just how BORING my family is." Jill answered with despair.
"Well, before you go all negative, why don't you go up to the attic after supper and see what you can find. Okay?"
"Okay." A defeated Jill answered as she got up and left the room.
Jill closed the door to her room, turned her computer on, and streamed her favorite radio station WOLE – The Very Best Of The Oldies. Jill settled in and started on her math. Half way through the math homework, one of her favorite songs by one of her most favorite singers came on the radio. Jill jumped up from her desk, used her pencil as a mic and started to sing with Hannah Montana as she sang 'I Got Nerve'.
After supper was over, Jill stopped in front of the door to the attic. She took a deep breath and turned the doorknob. Pulling the door open and stepping onto the landing, Jill reached over and flipped the light switch. Once in the attic, Jill started to look at the dusty boxes. The boxes in this area had family pictures that her dad had transferred to cd-rom. The boxes over there had save school papers, school projects and report cards in them. Trunks over here had baby clothes that were being saved. This trunk had other clothes that were being saved. A tall wardrobe trunk had her mom's wedding dress in it. The dress was vacuum-sealed in plastic with a metal frame defining the edges. Over here were more wardrobe trunks with a stylized HM initials on them. The initials were done in purple and pink. All of the trunks were locked. That's funny, Jill thought. She didn't remember anything in the attic being locked. However, there they were. Jill moved some more stuff and found some large trunks that had the same HM on them and they were locked too. Puzzled, Jill went downstairs to ask her mom and dad about the locked trunks.
"Mom. Dad. Where are you?" Jill called to them.
"We're in the living room honey." Janet, her mom, answered. Jill went to the living room.
"Mom, did you know that there are some trunks in the attic that are locked?"
"Which ones would that be dear?" Janet asked.
"There are about ten of them. They all have this weird pink and purple HM on them."
Janet and Tony, Jill's dad, looked at each other.
"What's in them? Or, am I not suppose to see what's in them?" Jill asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Well, I was going to tell you about what was in them, but I had forgotten about them."
"So, what's in them?" Jill was getting excited.
"Well, those trunks belong to your great-grandmother Miley Collins." Her dad started.
"But since you have to a presentation on your family's history, why don't we have great-grandma Miley over for a week. That way she can show you what in the trunks and you can get a good piece of your family's very interesting history." Janet told Jill.
"Do we have too?" Whined Jill. "You know I don't like her that much and besides that she's really old!"
"Jill, you never give her much of a chance when we go to see her. Besides, I think you like her more than you know." Tony smiled at Jill as he told her this.
"Fine. I'll give her a chance. But I'm not going to make any promises." Jill said with a hint of frustration.
"I think you will be happy with your decision Jill." Her mom smiled at her.
"I'm going back to the attic to look at the stuff that isn't locked then." Jill told them irritatedly and left for the attic. After Tony was sure that Jill couldn't hear them, he turned to Janet.
"You know she is going to kill us for not telling her that her most favorite singer is her great-grandmother."
"She'll live. Plus, she'll learn her family isn't as boring as she thinks it is. This well be good for her."