Amelia
I slammed the door behind me as I entered the house, tears stinging my eyes. My chest felt heavy, and I didn’t know where to turn. I couldn’t believe Elvie had said those awful things. I was angry, but more than that, I was hurt.
The words kept replaying in my mind—“adopted daughter of Gamma Brandon.” How dare she say that in front of everyone?
Before I could even gather myself, I heard footsteps rushing toward me. My parents—my father, Former Gamma Brandon, and my mother, Arlene—appeared from the living room. Their faces immediately shifted to concern when they saw me crying.
“Amelia, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Mom asked, her voice soft as she reached out for me.
Before I could answer, my brother Bernard, the new Gamma, appeared from upstairs, hurrying down with equal conc
