“What do you mean by ‘complicated?’” Ophelia asked, after a long pause.

“It took quite some time to track all of you down. Mr. Diggory was very specific about how he wanted things handled,” Ani said slowly.

She flipped open a folder and removed a small stack of envelopes, each with a name on the front. Slowly, she handed them out, then tucked one envelope back into the folder.

“Hey, what’s that you’re doing?” Mona asked.

“This envelope was intended for your deceased mother,” Ani responded. “I was instructed to keep the envelopes of all those not present and leave them unopened.”

“Well, of course she’s not here,” Mona argued. “She’s dead. Do you expect us to drag her corpse in here, all stinking and decomposing? What if something important is in it?” She looked down at the envelope on her lap and added to herself, “Who am I kidding? When did Dad ever have anything important to say?” With a sigh, she tore open the envelope and removed a slip of paper from it, which she read, rolling her eyes, and crumpled up.

As though on cue, the others present also opened their envelopes and read the paper contained within. Some smiled a little, some frowned, and one-- Ophelia-- scowled and tore the paper into shreds.


“Is there a problem, ma’am?” Ani asked.

“Don’t cause trouble,” Charise scolded her cousin. “Everyone’s going through enough as it is, with the loss of--”

“--Oh, stop it!” Ophelia cried out exasperatedly. She took the paper from her cousin’s hand and read it, rolling her eyes. “Your paper said the same thing as mine. I bet everyone had the same thing on their paper. Look,” she said, now addressing the whole group, “I know it’s sad when someone dies. But you can’t just expect me to ‘just remember the good times.’” She waved the paper at them, then tossed it onto Charise’s lap. “How am I supposed to forgive and forget, knowing everything Dunstan has done? I cannot simply remember the good times, not after he’s hurt so many people. Not after what he’s done to me or Charise or… or to anyone. It’s okay to be sad, but people don’t magically become saints just because they’ve died. Let’s be honest here; Dunstan was not that great of a person when he was alive. Yet, I’m yelled at for telling the truth and admitting that he was less than perfect. I didn’t even want to come here today, but Charise guilted me into it.” She turned to Mona and said, “I’m sorry that your dad died, but I’m not going to lie and tell you he was a good person.”

With that said, she turned and strode out of the room. Everyone was silent for several seconds. Edna Paxton turned to her granddaughter and said, “Don’t worry about her, hon, she’s just--”

“--Just what?” Mona interrupted. “Just being the first person to actually be honest about all of this? I know you didn’t like Dad either. So, why are you acting like it’s such a terrible thing to admit it?”

“You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.”

“Based on that logic, Hitler should only be known for being a failed artist,” Mona shot back. She rose and left the room as well.

Ani looked around the room, and, noting the awkward silence, stammered out, “How about we take a break?”


Mona flopped onto the bench. “Shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, my ***,” she muttered, kicking at the ground. “What a crock.”

“What was that?” Ophelia asked, looking up.

“My grandma chewed me out for basically saying you were right,” Mona replied. “Dad was a lousy father, a crappy husband, and I’m sure that whatever he did to you, you’re justified in being ticked at him. To be honest, I’m actually happy that you said what you did. I’m so sick of everyone acting like Dad was the greatest person who lived. This, from the same people who were cracking jokes about him and talking bad about him behind his back. And the second he dies, they suddenly act like he was the most wonderful thing to ever happen to mankind.” She sighed to herself. “Sometimes, I think it would be better if the world just ended or people went extinct. I mean, we’re basically taught that it’s not okay to admit anything less than positive feelings toward someone who has died, never mind what they were like in life. It’s like you’re expected to be phony all the time. I don’t think I can handle that. If things are just going to get worse, then maybe it’s time for the next big bomb or something.”


Ophelia smiled a little and said, “Mona, you’re a very smart girl, and it’s good that you value being genuine over being phony. But, you know, the world isn’t all that bad. Back when I was about your age, I learned one of the most important lessons ever from a very wise person, one of my teachers. She went through a lot of hardships and sacrificed a lot of things to get where she was, and most people would be bitter and pessimistic. They would have given up on making the world a better place. But not her. She put her mind to bettering the world in any way she could. She encouraged several students to do great things, and the world is better because of that. Maybe the world isn’t the best place, but it does have some good left in it. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of finding the good in it and helping it to bloom.” She smiled and patted Mona’s shoulder. “But I’m not going to lecture you anymore. You take care of yourself, and don’t give your grandmas too hard of a time.”

With that, Ophelia began to stand.

“Oh, hey,” Mona called out. “You’re the head of Elemental, right?”

“Yes.”

Mona looked down at her feet. “I… I’m sorry about that riot. You know, at the fashion show. I was there. I’m sorry it got so out of hand.”

“It’s okay. I know you didn’t cause all of that chaos by yourself. And don’t feel bad about it. It’s all in the past. There’s some things that I can forgive, you know.”

“Really? Thanks, I feel so much better now. I felt awful about what happened before.”

“That’s good. Now, I’m going home. You should probably go inside and let everyone know you’re okay and that I’m not going to go postal.”

Mona laughed and nodded. “Sure thing,” she replied, rising to her feet. She watched Ophelia walk to her car and murmured to herself, “Wow, I got to meet the head of Elemental Fashions. She’s so cool and smart. I want to be like that when I‘m older!”