Fireflies and Magnolias by Ava Miles

picture felt like a dozen brightly wrapped presents on Christmas morning. When she met Amelia Ann’s gaze, she lifted a shoulder. “They love me.”
    “No kidding. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
    She picked up her phone again, feeling a little embarrassed. “Well, now you have my ideas. See what Clayton thinks and let me know.”
    “Don’t you want to pitch this to him yourself?” Amelia Ann asked.
    “No. You seem to understand him better than I do, and frankly, I’m fine with that. He’s a nice guy, and I’ve known him a heck of a long time, but he’s too…stiff and cold. I’d rather you do it if you’re comfortable talking to him. Especially given the controversial nature of the piece.”
    “If you’re sure,” Amelia Ann said with a mischievous smile. “Leave him to me.”
    Her response made Susannah wonder if her friend had more than a professional interest in Clayton. In fact, she acted like the interest was decidedly personal.
    Look out , Clayton , she thought. Amelia Ann was not a woman to be denied.
    They stayed a while longer, drinking their beverages and chatting, until they both eyed the clock. After gathering their things, they walked out into the sunshine. Susannah had a few more meetings in the afternoon, but this break had been a welcome respite.
    “We should get together more often,” she hinted. “Other than Sundays.”
    “I know. I’ll see what I can do. As I said, I don’t have much free time right now.”
    And yet she’d said her second year of law school was easier than the first. Well, she hadn’t seen much of J.P. while he was in law school either.
    “And if you think you can handle my sisters whining about you and me getting to see Jake Lassiter—not that I’ve seen him yet…”
    “Me either. But when we do meet him, I think we should take a picture with him and send it to them.”
    She gave a bark of laughter. “They’d be pea green with envy. I love the idea! Anyway, we should have a girl’s night out. Maybe J.P. can take care of the kids so Tammy can come too.”
    “That would be nice. Between the kids, J.P., and her new business, she’s been so busy lately…” She winced. “Not that I don’t love your brother. I adore him, and I’m so happy for them.”
    Susannah put a hand on her arm. “No, I totally get it. I haven’t seen much of my brother either. I mean we get together a lot as a family—”
    “But it’s different.”
    They hugged and walked off to their respective cars. When Susannah settled into her seat, she pulled the little girl’s drawing out of her purse and studied it. It was a family. Even at her young age, Frannie knew what mattered most.
    Just like she did.

Chapter 8
     
     
    The Community Legal Clinic sat on the corner of Hell and Purgatory, Amelia Ann was fond of telling herself. The sidewalk almost seemed to know it—the cement cracks twined their way up to the front walkway before trailing off. Every day, a community volunteer swept the front of the building of the garbage and dust that were constantly blowing down these East Nashville streets. Their windows were always clean and sparkling, while the others in the neighborhood were filmy with dirt or boarded up with plywood or cardboard. The crumbling brick buildings surrounding theirs were coated in spray painted slurs and profanity.
    The first time she’d come here, five weeks ago, Amelia Ann had been scared to death. And determined.
    Mrs. Augusta would have fainted if she’d seen the rough neighborhood where Amelia Ann Hollins was spending her days. No Southern belle would have been caught dead in it.
    Then again, Amelia Ann wasn’t a Southern belle anymore.
     
    * * *
     
    She’d stuck out like a sore thumb that first day in this neighborhood filled with gangs, homeless folks, and teenage girls and aging women hooking on the dirty streets. When she parked her BMW convertible in front of the building, she felt like she was issuing an invitation for it to be stolen or