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I knock and a 14 year old girl opens the door. Her face is confused, but it suddenly turns to realization.
"Jess?" She questions hoping she has the right person.
I hadn't seen her in a while and I'm glad that she is okay. Tears begin to well up in my eyes. I nod my head and she steps aside to let me in.
"How have you been?" She asks me. "I haven't seen you in a while."
We are standing just inside the apartment and I envelop her in a hug.
"What's the matter?" She asks me with concern evident in her voice.
"Amelia," I choke out the girls name as I start to get overwhelmed with emotions.
I've started speaking again, finally, but I haven't seen Amelia in a long time.
"Jess, it's alright," Amelia says to me as she pulls out of the hug and leads me over to the couch. "What's the matter?" She asks me as we sit down on the couch.
"Nothing," I reply. "I just missed you that's all."
"Come on there must be something?" Amelia says soothingly to me.
"Yeah, I guess. But how about we catch up first," I suggest.
"Okay," Amelia says excitedly. "Where have you been?"
"I moved," I answer.
"You moved?" Amelia questions me. "And you couldn't even let me know."
"Sorry," I reply earnestly. "You know Liz."
"Yeah," Amelia replies sadly. "So, where did you move?"
"Stars Hollow, Connecticut," I answer. "I moved in with my Uncle."
"And how's…" Amelia starts but I interrupt her.
"Don't I even get to ask a question?" I ask her.
"No," She replies defiantly. "I want to know about you and then we can catch up on me."
"Fine," I relent as Amelia is giving me her big brown puppy dog eyes.
"Yes," She chants. "So, you moved in with your Uncle…" She prompts me.
"Yeah," I reply. "And I met a girl."
"Really?" Amelia asks surprised and then the realization struck. "So what disease does this one have?"
"What?" I ask completely in shock that sweet little Amelia would even say that.
"Well, there was Stacy," Amelia defends.
"What was wrong with her?" I ask.
"Please," Amelia replies. "She's the one who made you steal that car."
"Oh yeah," I say remembering. I also remember how she crashed the car and we got busted.
"And then there was Bridgette…" Amelia starts but I once again cut her off.
"Aren't we getting a little off track here?" I ask her.
"Fine, so you meet a girl…" Amelia prompts me again.
"Yeah and not just any girl," I explain. "She is so beautiful and so smart. I think she's my soul mate."
"And let me guess she doesn't even know you exist," Amelia says knowingly.
"Ouch," I say to her in mock hurt. "Of course she knows I exist."
"So, did you ask her out?" Amelia asks genuinely excited for me.
"She had a boyfriend," I reply.
"Well that sucks," Amelia says excitement deflating.
"Yeah, but I flirted with her and I knew she liked me back," I explain. "So all I had to do was get her boyfriend Dean out of the way."
"Dean, yuck," Amelia says with a disgusted look on her face. "I hate that name."
"You're steering this conversation off topic again," I say to her.
"Sorry," Amelia apologizes.
"So, her boyfriend got sick of me flirting with her," I explain. "So he sought me out one night, beat me up and broke my arm. I ended up in hospital." I toned it down a little for Amelia.
"Oh my god," She replies in shock and then hits me in the arm.
"What?" I ask her.
"You were in hospital and you still didn't call me?" Amelia asks me angrily.
"Sorry," I apologize. "I promise to call the next time."
"Next time?" Amelia questions me. "You planning on being in hospital again?"
"Not planning, but it will probably happen," I reply and she looks at me confused. "Well if you'll let me finish you'll understand."
"Okay, continue," She says.
"So, Rory…" I start but am interrupted.
"Who's Rory?" Amelia asks.
"The love of my life," I explain. "Try and keep up."
"At least she doesn't have a stripper name," I hear Amelia say under her breath.
I ignore her and continue. "So Rory breaks up with Dean and then Dean is run out of town and yes," I say before Amelia can say anything. "Just like the old days, but we didn't have pitchforks and flaming torches."
"Sounds like fun," Amelia says slightly disappointed.
"Oh, it was," I reply. "Then Rory writes something on my cast in French, but I forget about it. We share a couple of secret kisses, which Rory loved to run from. Anyway weeks later I find out what's written on the cast by a French man named Michel."
"What did it say?" Amelia asks me excited once again. Damn it's hard to keep track of a teenager's emotions.
"It said 'I love you,'" I explain.
"She loves you?" Amelia asks me in disbelief. "Does she still love you?"
"Well, you're just going to have to wait to find out," I tease her and poke my tongue out at her. "Rory and I got her mother and my uncle Luke together. And trust me it was a long time coming. They ended up getting engaged which all seemed a little quick for me, but regardless they are getting married in a couple of months. I'm doing well in school, 4.0 grade average and am even looking into going to an Ivy League college."
"Wow!" Amelia says shocked. "My life's so boring."
"We're nearing the end of my story then I can hear all about your boring life," I say. "So, everything's perfect until Rory gets elected vice president of her school and that means that she has to spend the whole summer in Washington. Whilst Rory's in Washington they renovated her house and about a week before she came back Luke, Lorelai and I all moved in together."
"Really?" Amelia asks me. "And how'd that go?"
"Hard, but not too bad," I answer. "It was easier with Luke and her mother Lorelai around."
"Woah!" Amelia says once again in disbelief. "A girlfriend and her mother."
"Hey, Lorelai's cool," I defend and Amelia rolls her eyes. "Rory gets back from Washington and not long after we're back to normal. We even fell asleep on the kitchen floor together and Lorelai and Luke caught us."
"I bet you got in big trouble for that," Amelia says.
"You'd think so, but no," I reply. "Lorelai made me watch Buffy with her as punishment."
"What?" Amelia asks me as she hits me in the arm again.
"Hey if you keep hitting me then social services is going to think that Luke is abusing me and take me away from my new home," I explain in mock sadness.
"It's just that we used to watch Buffy together," Amelia says sadly, waiting for me to respond. "Remember…" She prompts me.
"I remember," I reply as I put my arm around her. "I'm sorry," I say as I pout at her.
"Okay, enough," Amelia says annoyed. "I thought you said this story was nearly finished?"
"Okay long story short," I say to Amelia and she sighs. "Lorelai and I made a bet, which ended with me getting a piece of glass in my neck and once again being rushed to the hospital bleeding to death. I got out of the hospital today."
"Well, that explains the bandage," She says motioning towards my neck.
"Yeah, well when I woke up the other day I couldn't talk and the doctor didn't know why," I explain. "I couldn't even talk until I came here today."
"And now you can talk, after coming here to see me?" Amelia questions. "So what does that mean?"
"I have a fair idea, but later," I reply. "I want to know about you."
"Okay," Amelia starts. "But just so you don't get your hopes up I didn't go to hospital and I didn't steal any girl's boyfriend. I also didn't move away or get a new family."
"Oh yeah and I got a dog," I say excitedly. "His name is Milo."
"Oooh a dog how cute," Amelia says. "Wait I thought it was my turn."
"It is," I reply. "So do you have a boyfriend?"
"No," Amelia says as she blushes.
"Come on you can tell me," I say as I rub her shoulder comfortingly.
"Well, there may be someone I like," Amelia says blushing once again.
"Why don't you ask him out?" I ask her.
"No way," She replies nervously.
"Come on," I reply. "First day of school tomorrow right?" I ask and Amelia nods her head. "Then I'll walk you to school and check this guy out. Then if I approve, you can ask him out."
"No," Amelia says defiantly. "How about we talk about why you are here and can now miraculously now talk."
"How about I talk if you at least think about asking this guy out," I suggest. "And I'm still walking you to school tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll think about it," Amelia replies. "How long are you staying for?"
"I don't know, not long," I reply. "I guess I have to see Liz whilst I'm here and maybe check in with James."
"Bennet?" Amelia questions.
"Yeah," I reply. "You know him?"
"Not really he goes to the same school as me, so I see him around," Amelia explains. "I just didn't know you knew him. You never used to hang around him."
"I know, but I knew him a long time ago," I explain. "We used to be best mates."
"Okay," Amelia replies. "So, why did you come and see me?"
"Well, I had a dream and you were in it," I explain. "It was that day you remember."
"Only bits and pieces," Amelia recalls sadly. "I remember going to the zoo and playing in the park with my red balloon. Then the next thing I know is you calling out and running across the road to me. You save my life Jess."
"I know, but I had a dream," I say sadly. "That I couldn't call out to get your attention and that I… I… I couldn't save you. You got hit by that car and I couldn't bring you back." I start crying and Amelia rubs my back.
"But you did get my attention, you did save me," Amelia says comfortingly to me.
"I guess that's why I came to see you," I say calming down. "I just had to see that you were alright. That I did save you that day."
"You did Jess," Amelia says on the verge of tears. "I was only five I didn't know any better, but you… my knight in shining amour you were only ten Jess and you saved a helpless little girl. Maybe that dream was a sign to show you that there have been times in your life where you really needed you voice, maybe you lost faith in your voice or something."
"Wow!" I reply. "Very philosophically, when did you become smart and all knowing?"
"Always," Amelia replies. "But does it make any sense to you?"
"I guess," I reply. "Maybe the bet and other things made me believe that everything I said was not worth the outcome."
"But I was worth the outcome wasn't I?" Amelia asks me hopefully.
"Of course," I reply. "Probably the best day of my life."
"Probably?" Amelia questions.
"Well, I have Rory now," I explain. "So nearly every day's a good day."
"When do I get to meet her?" Amelia asks excitedly.
"I don't know when can you meet her?" I ask.
"Tomorrow," Amelia asks.
"No, you have school," I reply and she pouts. "Plus Rory's got school, so you won't see her until after."
"Okay," Amelia relents. "We'll figure out a time. Where are you staying tonight?"
"I don't know," I reply. "Liz's maybe. I'm going to go over there soon, I'll see what happens. Liz might be in maternal mode or abusive mode, I'm hoping somewhere in the middle."
"Why are you seeing Liz anyway?" Amelia asks me.
"Well, she was also in my dream," I reply. "Strangely enough."
"What happened?" Amelia asks.
"Much the same as yours," I explain. "I couldn't save her, but when it happened years ago I could save her. Once again, I guess it tells me that my voice is important and that I've saved certain people during my life with it."
"Yeah, sounds feasible," Amelia says. "Is that why you're going to see Bennet?"
"Yeah, I helped save him once," I reply.
"Maybe you can save him again," Amelia says. "He's into drugs and crime. He's not doing well Jess."
"Yeah, well I'm not staying long, but I'll see what I can do," I reply. "Oh, can I use your phone?"
"Sure," Amelia replies. "It's in the same place."
"Thanks," I say as I get up from the couch and walk over to the phone. I dial the diner hoping to get Luke.
"Hello," I hear Luke's gruff voice on the other end.
"Hey," I respond.
"Jess," Luke says happily. "I hear you can talk, that's great."
"Yeah," I reply. "I figured out the problem and turns out the doctor wasn't that whacked after all."
"So, where are you?" Luke asks me.
"New York," I reply.
"So, you with Liz?" Luke asks.
"No, but I'm just about to go see her," I answer.
"So, how long are you staying?" Luke asks.
"A couple of days at the least," I explain. "I've already got plans tomorrow morning," I say whilst smiling at Amelia and she smiles back. "And depending on how things go with Liz, well you know I'll have to see."
"Just be careful Jess," Luke says to me.
"I will," I reply. "Is Rory there?"
"No," Luke replies. "She'll be in later though or you could try the house."
"I'm on a friend's phone," I reply. "So, can you just tell her that I love her and that I will be back soon, oh and that I can talk again. And make sure she goes to school excited tomorrow, she's been waiting for this day forever and I don't want to ruin it for her."
"I will," Luke responds. "Well, I'll see you when I see you."
"Okay, I'll call if I'm still here in a couple of days," I reply. "Bye."
I hang up the phone and walk back over to Amelia.
"Did Jess just have a proper conversation?" Amelia asks in disbelief.
"Oh shut up," I respond. "When's your mom coming home?"
"Soon," Amelia replies.
"Well I better go and see Liz before she hits the bottle," I say. "Unless she already has."
"Good luck with that," Amelia says sarcastically.
"You never know she might've changed," I say as I walk to the door. "Bye," I say as I leave the apartment.
I walk around the corner and a couple of blocks down. I get to the familiar apartment building. I walk up the stairs nervously and stand out the front of Liz's door. I knock before I can change my mind and Liz answers almost immediately. She seems better. She doesn't appear to be drunk or on any drugs.
"Jess, my baby boy," Liz says happily as she hugs me. "What a nice surprise. Come in, come in."
Well so far, so good I thought as I walked into the apartment.