{"id":1327,"date":"2025-01-17T20:04:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T20:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=1327"},"modified":"2025-01-17T20:12:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T20:12:26","slug":"chapter-02","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=1327","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 02"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 02<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

While Bella had spoken about doing a \u2018gap year\u2019 with Jacob and her friends before, knowing that she had a set destination instead somehow made them sadder, which was the opposite of what she had expected. She assured them that she was likely not going to stay in New Orleans for long, but she did have to go to this attorney just to hear him out – out of curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily, ever the caretaker, gave Bella a goodbye gift, a nice, thickly filled blanket because Bella was cold easily. While Bella doubted she\u2019d get cold in New Orleans, she really appreciated the gesture, especially since Emily adjusted the blanket herself by padding it up and making it all nice and warm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacob, the embodiment of protection and puppy energy, made her promise that she was going to call him at least once a week and that she wouldn\u2019t forget about them, and that if she were going to get herself into trouble – as Bella had a habit of doing so, she\u2019d call him, and he and likely the rest of the pack, would come running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing as Bella didn\u2019t think she was going to be in New Orleans long – depending on what she was going to learn, and likely come back to pick up her car, she had packed a suitcase with a few changes of clothes to be stored in the cheap hotel she\u2019d booked, and a backpack with all of her comfort items and essentials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day after her graduation, Charlie drove her to the airport in Seattle in his squad car in comfortable silence and Bella soon found herself on the plane to New Orleans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon landing in New Orleans, Bella\u2019s senses were immediately captivated by the city\u2019s vibrant energy, a stark contrast to rainy Forks. She found herself in a taxi that drove her to her charming but budget friendly hotel in the French Quarter, close to where the attorney was located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they were driving through New Orleans to her destination, she saw the landscape change, from places that reminded her of Forks, as they were quite barren and desolate, to the bursting streets of the city\u2019s city center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even while in the taxi, she could hear the distant sound of jazz music coming from bars and from the streets with their colorful architecture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe, even if her appointment with the attorney would be futile and her not deciding to attend the college in New Orleans that the attorney had written her about, she could stay the summer before moving on; she had known that New Orleans was a great city, but she hadn\u2019t imagined that she\u2019d be in awe with the city the moment she set foot in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella paid the taxi driver and headed inside the hotel. Though economical, the hotel boasted a cute and cozy ambiance, and her room was decorated quite\u2026 eclectic, reflecting the spirit of New Orleans. After checking in, Bella placed her belongings in her hotel room and wandered the streets of the French Quarter for a little while looking for a place to eat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She settled for a nice little specialty coffee shop in the French Quarter. Entering the shop felt like stepping into a haven where the aroma of freshly brewed beans intertwined with the soulful spirit of New Orleans. The interior was a unique blend of vintage charm and modern flair, creating an inviting atmosphere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rich, dark wooden counters and tables and the furniture was a mix of comfortable leather couches and mismatched wooden chairs, and it made Bella feel right at home. The walls were covered in beautiful local artwork. The air was filled with some jazz music playing on a low volume, and the hissing of steam, the grinding of beans and conversations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the smell of freshly baked pastries made her stomach growl, and she ordered a fair amount of them and a simple sandwich. While Bella would normally go for an Americano, Bella was open to explore and the barista made her a coffee infused with chicory. Bella loved the coffee, it was simple, yet extraordinary, the chicory added a subtle, earthy note to the brew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella wasn\u2019t a coffee snob, she just knew what she liked, and this coffee was just that. After finishing off the coffee and pastries, she ordered another coffee, and remembered she had a book in her backpack that came with the whole paperwork. She thought she had left it in her hotel room but apparently not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLe journal d’Am\u00e9lie\u201d<\/em>, read in beautiful italic handwriting after she opened the book. It didn\u2019t have a cover, but it made sense for a diary not to have one. It looked like she was going to have to read this book slowly, as her French wasn\u2019t all that impressive, but she\u2019d manage, especially as newer entries were written in English. The first entry was dated in 1815 and it seemed to be a diary from a young woman living in New Orleans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amelie\u2019s thoughts about society and how women were expected to fulfill traditional roles as wives and mothers were refreshing; while Amelie participated in activities centered around the home and family life, she and her family – as it appeared, were deeply involved in folklore and mythical creatures. Herbalism. Candle magic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Bella, this was intriguing, as her worldview had always dismissed magic as mere fantasy\u2014a supernatural manifestation at best, such as the Quileutes back in Washington. Their shape-shifting abilities were linked to ancestry and a pact with powerful spirits, a concept challenging for Bella, who struggled to understand the importance of spirits and ancestors in shaping a culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on her upbringing, she acknowledged the diversity of beliefs across cultures, understanding that, like the Quileutes, many societies held such convictions at the core of their existence. While she respected these beliefs, Bella saw them as akin to faith in a higher power. If one fervently believed in something, it became their truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The power of belief and its influence on their life intrigued Bella as a psychological debate. However, seeing as tangible proof was absent, Bella maintained a skeptical stance. Nonetheless, she valued the opportunity to learn about history, folklore, and the diverse beliefs that shaped people’s lives. Understanding the motivations behind these convictions was a crucial aspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, Bella was a nerd and proud of it. She spent the entire afternoon reading the diary, occasionally going for a refill of her coffee. Amelie had a crush on Emil, the Governor\u2019s son, but only from afar; the Fontaine family was wealthy, but not important enough to brush elbows with the Governor or attend their parties. However, at that time Amelie\u2019s family had wielded considerable influence in the New Orleans community, offering guidance and practicing magic spells\u2014communicating with spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella thought about this for a moment as she took a sip of her coffee. While familiar with the concept of mediums, she questioned the authenticity of Amelie’s experiences. Mediums, she mused, were adept at the art of cold reading\u2014detecting subtle cues, like the faintest breath or the twitch of an eye, and leveraging them to sway their audience. Was she, indeed, reading the diary of a master manipulator?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the day drew to a close, Bella ordered some more coffee and some pastries to go and headed back to the hotel to get a good night\u2019s rest and to read more of the journal; it was fascinating and she made a mental note of perhaps visiting some of the places that Amelie had been writing about after Bella\u2019s appointment with the lawyer the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, Bella met with the attorney, Mr. Antoine Dupont. Needless to say, he was impressed by how her father made sure that he was a legit attorney and that everything he had sent over and told her in a letter was true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dupont told Bella about Amelia Fontaine, whose journal she read. She was Bella\u2019s direct relative but a few generations removed. Amelia\u2019s family, on the surface, had a deep connection with the musical heritage and cultural history of New Orleans. On Amelia\u2019s father\u2019s side, everyone was involved in music. On her mother\u2019s side, they were more inclined towards herbalism and history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which kind of rang true with what Bella had read in Amelia\u2019s diary. Not a lot of mention of music as of yet, but there were enough social gatherings that made Bella\u2019s head spin. How did women back in the day survive all the restrictions and then attend social gatherings almost every few days?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dupont then assured Bella that if she didn\u2019t want to accept what he was about to reveal; he was going to help her to decide what to do with Ms. Fontaine\u2019s estate. Amelia Fontaine passed away in the mid 1800s and in her will it stated that her direct descendants were allowed to live in her house until there was nobody left, when then the estate would jump to another generation with the last female relative that was born. In this case, Bella. It had taken Mr. Dupont\u2019s office over fifty years to find someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was a relative of Amelia Fontaine through her father, and like Charlie had told her, the Fontaines were the relatives in New Orleans his family split off from for reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of Ms. Fontaine\u2019s family and their prominent history in New Orleans, Ms. Fontaine had stated in her will that should the descendant still be of age to go to school, the estate would pay for it at a local school. Mr. Dupont explained that of course, since Ms. Fontaine\u2019s life, the school system had changed and he, of course, had looked into Bella before reaching out to her, which prompted him to arrange a scholarship to Loyola University, with the freedom for Bella to choose her own path, and even if Bella would reject the entire estate, she\u2019d be able to keep that scholarship and she\u2019d be given an apartment to live in for the duration of her studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which was extremely generous as Bella was a complete stranger to Ms. Fontaine, and not entirely a bad idea, either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, as for the estate,\u201d Mr. Dupont started as he placed his hand on a stack of papers. \u201cIt comes with some pocket money which has amassed over the years, nothing too crazy but enough for you to survive off of, and likely to invest in the next part, which is a gorgeous house on a plot of land that has been in the Fontaine family for quite some time. The home was constructed in the mid 1800s. At the end of her life, Ms. Fontaine wanted her family to have a new home to live in for many years to come and have it updated regularly for as long as her descendants lived. It\u2019s right here in the French Quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dupont showed Bella some pictures of the gorgeous home on the outside. It was a 3 story home, maybe a Greek Revival style house, definitely not Victorian. It looked beautiful. \u201cThat\u2019s a beautiful home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt hasn\u2019t been maintained in a very long time and it needs a serious overhaul and money, which, you\u2019ll have plenty of, should you accept the challenge. At the moment it has four bedrooms, three full bathrooms and as you can see it\u2019s three stories high. The roof needs a lot of work, and I can help you find the right people to help you with the reconstruction if you so wish. My family has been friends of the Fontaine family for over two centuries,\u201d Mr. Dupont had a serious tone in his voice. \u201cFor what it\u2019s worth, I have no doubt that you will fall in love with New Orleans, much like other people have and have settled here. The city is big, but I\u2019m confident you\u2019ll find yourself being part of a tight knit community in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big step\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am aware of the responsibility. You could even choose to sell the house on if you so wish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella kept looking at the pictures and for some reason just felt drawn to the house. \u201cNo, I think I\u2019m ready for that responsibility, even though I find it really strange that I\u2019m the one to inherit all that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re a part of an old family, old money, you never know what to expect. I am aware that at some point your side of the family split off from the Fontaine\u2019s, and even changed their name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh, yeah, something about them being weird,\u201d Bella said with a slight chuckle. \u201cI never knew about having family here in New Orleans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNormalcy is overrated, Ms. Swan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

tbc<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 02 While Bella had spoken about doing a \u2018gap year\u2019 with Jacob and her friends before, knowing that she had a set destination instead somehow made them sadder, which was the opposite of what she had expected. She assured them that she was likely not going to stay in…<\/p>\n

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