Jamison Valley, #1
The Coppersmith Farmhouse
by Devney Perry
Contents
Chapter 19
Overview
Jess brings Georgia, Rowen, and Noelle to Wes Drummond’s crowded funeral. Andrea publicly clings to Jess, and he forcefully ends it. Felicity returns after fourteen years, grieving and tense with Jess and Silas, but agrees to Christmas with the family. After paying respects, Jess takes his girls sledding to ease the day’s weight.
Summary
Four days before Christmas, Jess drives Georgia, Rowen, and Noelle to Wes Drummond’s funeral at the school auditorium. The service honors Wes while acknowledging his flaws, and Georgia notes the pain of Wes’s parents, Jack and Annie.
As the crowd filters to the reception, Andrea Merkuso rushes Jess and hugs him. Jess peels her off, bluntly states they are over, and affirms he is with Georgia. They leave Andrea fuming and head to the cafeteria.
There, a stylish blonde chastises Georgia for Rowen “wrecking” her coat. The argument halts when Silas approaches and Jess reveals the woman is his sister, Felicity. Noelle tearfully embraces Felicity, while Silas departs, signaling old tensions likely involving Wes.
Jess confronts Felicity about her long absence and rudeness; she deflects, then removes her sunglasses, revealing red, swollen eyes. They agree to meet for lunch and for her to join Christmas at the farmhouse. Felicity then comforts Jack and Annie, breaking down the distance between them.
Jess gathers Georgia and Rowen and takes them home. To counter the grief of the day, Georgia suggests doing something fun; they go sledding in the nearby foothills. The playful outing restores some joy and closeness after an emotionally heavy funeral.
Who Appears
- Georgia (Gigi) EllarsNarrator; supports Jess at Wes’s funeral, defuses conflicts, invites Felicity for Christmas, and later initiates a family sledding outing.
- Jess ClearySheriff and partner to Georgia; mourns Wes, rebuffs Andrea publicly, confronts Felicity, and takes Georgia and Rowen sledding.
- Felicity ClearyJess’s estranged sister; returns after fourteen years, deeply grieving Wes, clashes subtly with Jess and Georgia, agrees to Christmas.
- Rowen (Roe)Georgia’s daughter; patient at the reception and delights in sledding, helping lighten the day’s mood.
- Noelle ClearyJess’s mother; fragile but overjoyed to hug Felicity after years apart; attends Wes’s funeral.
- Andrea MerkusoJess’s former fling; hugs him at the funeral and is firmly rejected in front of Georgia.
- SilasFamily acquaintance; arrives during the coat dispute, shows clear tension with Felicity, then leaves without engaging.
- Jack and Annie DrummondWes’s grieving parents; receive mourners and embrace Felicity, highlighting shared loss.