Brave Magnolia

By Nella Simoni

Magnolia "Lia" Sevo has dreamed of becoming a doctor. Despite endless hardships and tragedies, she is motivated to fulfill her dreams. One obstacle holding her back is her husband, Wesson. Lia is able to live her life but at a cost while married to Wesson. Her only chance of freely living her dreams is to break away from her old life. Lia has the help of her amazing group of friends to help her escape and live the life she knows she deserves. Along the way, she learns what love really means.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9781638602293

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

About the Author

cover.jpg

Brave Magnolia

Nella Simoni

Copyright © 2023 Nella Simoni

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2023

ISBN 978-1-63860-228-6 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63985-633-6 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-63860-229-3 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

To my little bookworms.

Trigger Warning: The plot of this story deals with the difficult topic of spousal abuse and miscarriage. There are graphic scenes of assault, including sexual assault, in order to convey the gravity of the situation.

Acknowledgments

If you are actually taking the time to read this section, thank you! You are so polite!

I have always known that I was meant to be a writer, a successful one or not since I picked up the pencil at my Atam Hatik/Agra Hadig teething ceremony when I was a baby. Even when my eleventh-grade English teacher told me I was a terrible writer, I knew in my heart I truly wasn't. (I just needed the right guidance to organize my thoughts!) I knew it would happen one day, no matter how long it took me. And believe me, it is taking much longer than I anticipated. I blame our society, mental health, and motherhood, also having a full-time career. Okay, those are my reasons, but it is all worth it!

I officially began my writing career in 2018, after the birth of my first child. I thought I should probably set a good example for him. If I want to accomplish something, I have to make it happen already. It was not until the quarantine began in February 2020 that I started writing about Magnolia. I had a year's worth of notes on my desk (from 2019), screaming for it to be transferred into a Google document. After about seven weeks, I finished Brave Magnolia. One aspect I can thank the quarantine for. However, I spent every night typing up and researching for historical accuracy because I was quarantined with my family. I swear, every time a member of my family saw me using my laptop, they would remind me to get off it to avoid screen time. This included my son, who would just grab my hands as I typed and pulled away. Nighttime was my only time to type, from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. I was exhausted by morning. Then off to work! But it was all worth it. I was also fortunate to have my mom watch my son for a few hours a week to help me catch up on my manuscript. Thanks, Mom! Later on, my mother-in-law helped me watch both kids once I came back from a brief hiatus to have my second baby. Thank you, Moms!

When I finally finished my manuscript in early May of 2020, I sent it out to a spectacular editor, April Kelly, the following month. I was told by a fellow author to wait three months, reread it, then send it out. Me being me, I waited three weeks instead.

April (who is the best editor!) sent me back the revisions in September, and I was thrilled to finish everything and begin the next steps of bringing my first novel to life, but I had to pause everything.

Unfortunately, a war broke out in my home country of Armenia. Life paused for the Armenian diaspora. It was heartbreaking to watch everything from our screens, being thousands of miles away from indigenous Armenians fighting for their ancestral lands and their own lives. Neighboring countries were bombing, gassing, shelling, and destroying every bit of ancestral Armenian land. Our land, my motherland, was being taken from the cruel and extremely aggressive hands of our enemies. Armenians do not believe in enemies because we believe in love and celebration. So for a group of people to do this to us is mind-boggling. What they did to Armenians was heart-wrenching, such as pretending they were the ones being attacked (they would set their own lands on fire and have a news crew film then post it as if they were under attack; they would even have child actors pose in front of green screens and shed crocodile tears) to burn our forests with phosphorus gas, destroying maternity wards, hospitals, kindergartens, schools, theaters, homes, villages, cars, and even people. They stole Armenian uniforms and pretended to play victims on the side of the roads because they knew Armenians would pull over to help anyone. For example, a young doctor pulled over his ambulance to help injured soldiers, and what did they do? They shot him dead. It was a doctor, who stopped what he was doing to help them. And they showed their true colors (which were blue, red, green, and a big red one). It reminded me of the villains in films who ask for help from the good guys, the good guys help them then boom! The villain backstabs (again). As Dark Helmet said in my favorite film, Spaceballs, Evil will always triumph because good is dumb. Dumb as in naive to help the ones hurting us.

Additionally, Armenians were attacked online as well. It was a dangerous time for Armenians and anyone who sympathized with Armenians. Elton John posted for his followers to help Armenians, but genocidal trolls sent him death threats. This trend followed by many celebrities. I believe only the Kardashians, Jodie Sweetin, and a few others were the only ones to not delete their posts. Thank you!

The Armenian diaspora protested and pleaded with the world. Unfortunately, the world watched silently as humanity gradually died. Many celebrities posted about Armenia, but deniers of the Armenian genocide sent them death threats and had them removed. To this day, the neighboring country refuses to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. Imagine living in a world where certain countries refuse to recognize the Jewish holocaust. See my point? Nevertheless, we all felt helpless. Still do.

Why did a terrible group of people do this to Armenians? The same reason Nazis murdered the Jews. The same reason the KKK continues to haunt the African American and Black community. The same reason racism continues to exist in America today. Putting corruption aside, it involves decades of generational brainwashing. That is the root of discrimination and racism. We must own up to our own actions and teach our children the truth about history and, more importantly, respect one another.

We had little control over the situation. We did our best to post on social media and raise money. Speaking of social media, my account was blasted several times by genocide and holocaust deniers, with them sending me death threats. You can check out my Instagram stories as I posted endless screenshots and tagged the brainwashed genocide deniers. In the end, we all know who the true heroes and the villains are. I am positive after reading this story, you will understand.

I resumed finalizing my manuscript in the middle of December. I was numb but continued to work. After finalizing everything and deciding on the illustrator for my cover, I began the next step—visually bringing Magnolia to life.

My dear and talented friend, Natali, kindly agreed to illustrate the cover for Brave Magnolia. I am so happy we met years ago at College of the Canyons, stayed in touch over the years, and became mothers at the same time! I could not have asked for a more talented and kind illustrator (y amiga)!

Magnolia, also known as Lia, is an embodiment of several individuals I admire. She represents several individuals in my life. She symbolizes these individuals I admire greatly. They have faced tragedy in their own lives, whether it is a loss of a loved one, financial distress, a disability, or struggling for acceptance. These individuals faced their own obstacles and persevered. Magnolia is a blend of these individuals, and she set a precedent for any individual who faces any challenge in their life, especially if they are struggling with mental illness. You will eventually win your battle, but sometimes you need support. I understand since I have my own but fought it to the point I have majority control over it, with my own struggle with paying attention and severe anxiety. I do not allow it to control me.

There are moments when Magnolia attends work every day and returns to her toxic home environment. No one does or says anything to help her. Except for two people who can no longer see her miserable. If you know anyone who happens to be in a dangerous situation, please speak up and help them.

Clarita is a representation of my hometown of Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita has always been a positively wonderful town, despite a tragedy that occurred in 2019. The community came together and continues to strive. Coincidentally, Clarita also represents every Armenian mother who lost a young son during the war in Artsakh. When the horrible neighboring countries of Armenia bombed and attacked Armenian and Artsakh Armenia, thousands of innocent and brave lives were lost. We remember them every day.

I did as much research as I could about 1950s law and medical practices. I tried my best to be historically and politically accurate as I could since I have taught history courses in the past. I will not debate or argue about anything until I have the facts to back me up. Let's have a friendly discussion about history! It's actually exciting!

Thank you to my beta readers. I'm thankful for you wonderful ladies!

I hope you enjoy my novel. I really do! Please, don't be too harsh. It is my first one. I really hope you love Magnolia and all the characters, especially Katarina Kat, who is named after one of my favorite fictional characters from Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Also Julia Stiles' portrayal of Kat from one of my favorite films, Ten Things I Hate About You. Now that made me want to watch the film. I'll be back…

Also, I hope I have passed the Bechdel test! I know I did. Muahaha! This is not about love and relationships but rather about the strength of one individual. As I mentioned previously, mental heath is greatly portrayed throughout the novel, whether it is dealing with death, abusive relationships, any hardship or life obstacles, motherhood, depression, bullying, anxiety, fear, and loneliness. It is up to us as family members, relatives, friends, coworkers, neighbors (anyone!), and as a society to speak up and help those around us. Lia initially is fighting her battles all by herself until…well, once you read it, you'll understand. No matter how someone appears on their outer shell, the inside tells another story. Your job is to listen and hopefully offer a helpful hand.

I want to discuss two of my favorite cities: Chicago and Santa Barbara! I really hope I can live in these two different locations in one of my future lives. I loooove visiting both! I occasionally daydream about being in Lincoln Park or being at the beach in SB. Thus, they had to be the main settings. I would live in either city in a heartbeat. One of my favorite shows is Psych and may have been an inspiration for me to use Santa Barbara as a setting. Love you, Shawn and Gus (and the rest of the gang).

Actually, I do have one minor spoiler! If you do not want any spoilers, move along then! There is nothing to see here. (But once you finish the novel, come back and read this part please so we're on the same page. Pun intended!)

Spoiler!

Everyone else, yes, Lia loses many loved ones, as did her parents and their parents. This symbolizes the Armenian genocide victims and survivors, as well as those of Kurdish, Greek, Lebanese, Syrian, and Assyrian descent. Like the actual victims during the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries, Lia is the only survivor in her family. She lost many family members just like her grandparents did when they left their motherland. But like every survivor, they are the seeds. Millions of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and Lebanese (and others who have faced genocide and ethnic cleansing) are alive today because they have one ancestor who survived. We love to remind everyone that we are the seeds of many future generations. Lia is one seed, and from just her, her family grew. You'll see. Also, for some background information, Lia was born in 1930, and the setting skips to the late 1940s then proceed to the early/middle 1950s. Kat is currently in 2018. I created this story in my mind in 2018 but did not bring it to life until 2020 when the pandemic began. I chose not to have the pandemic in the story because I had created it before it occurred. However, I am curious how this story would have played out if it did happen during that era.

And thank you, thank you, thank you to Fulton Books and Matthew for your patience with me. You have all been exceptionally awesome, and I am grateful to you.

Last but not least, I am forever thankful for my family. It's interesting when you grow up in a dominant culture that is not the one you identify with. You struggle immensely to balance both worlds. That was me for countless years, even to this day. I struggled with my identity. Luckily, my family has been my rock, and they have been very supportive throughout my entire life. Yes, we drove each other crazy, but I would not have had it any other way. They helped me figure out that puzzling equation (even though we occasionally agree to disagree). I am thankful for my parents, my siblings, my husband, and my hub's family. Love you all! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this life and for putting up with my stubbornness. You were right (most of the time). Sometimes I feel unworthy of it, and Mom, you remind me to always love myself. And Dad, you tell me my life is so precious and valuable. Thank you for making me feel like a diamond when I felt like nothing but dirt on the ground. Thank you. (I'm not crying. You're crying!)

Thank you, and I love you all.

That is all. Now go. Read Magnolia's story. I hope you enjoy it and appreciate and understand the symbols and messages written beyond words. You will probably finish it in a day since it is more like a novella. I'm going to rewatch Parks and Rec or The Office again for the millionth time…

Happy reading!

Chapter 1

Ring, ring.

The sound from the front door alerted Kat to look up from her book. She was sitting on her front counter in the middle of reading Mr. Darcy's confession of his admiration and love for Elizabeth. Kat was caught off guard; she sighed heavily, having forgotten where and when she was at the moment. She placed a bookmark so as not to lose her place, rested the book on the counter, then greeted her customer. Frank Sinatra's voice was filling the shop with his famous Fly Me to the Moon when a young lady entered her dress shop. She was not her regular sort of customer, dressed in regular clothes. Miss Modern Day stuck out like a sore thumb at Brave Magnolia's. But she was not the first to come in; as of recently, more new customers appeared every day. Kat usually had regular clients visit her weekly. However, there was a growing number of younger individuals visiting. Kat loved her regular clientele but was enjoying the new wave of younger generations discovering her dress shop.

She had recently done an interview for the local newspaper about her dress shop and was featured in a YouTube video about distinct living in the modern world. Both of these different forms of advertisements had reached diverse age groups. New customers were coming in, raving about how much they enjoyed watching her on the internet and were curious about the shop. Approximately half of those visits resulted in sales.

Kat was aware of the possibility a younger crowd would visit, so she had set up a photo opportunity for them in the corner of the store. Kat's eldest daughter, Sabrina, had given her the idea. It was strange but it was one method of connecting with the upcoming generation. She knew they would come in with their cell phones to capture the perfect images to upload to their social media platforms. She placed one of her many record players with several pieces of vinyl on the wall and a dress stand displaying a sign that said Take Me Back to 1955! and several paper props that reminded customers of the older days. There was a smaller sign on the table with the paper photo props that asked customers to use the hashtag #ShopBraveMagnolias if they were to ever post it online. This allowed Kat to repost the images to her own Instagram page. This new method of advertisement was a positive one for her. As long as it kept her shop open and her dream alive.

The young lady, unabashed and confident, displayed her excitement to finally visit Brave Magnolia's. She felt a wonderful sensation of having time-traveled back to the sweeter days of the mid-twentieth century as she stepped inside the nonmodern shop. She had found the store's location online after coming across Kat's shop on Instagram, having been featured the week before. She researched her shop on her phone, learning it was a nearby clothing store that catered to nonmodern-day attire and accessories. Overwhelmed by the store's austere presence, she felt as if she were inside a glamorous actress's luxurious closet, with dresses, skirts, purses, scarves, gloves, hats, and other articles of clothing neatly hanging and placed on racks and shelves.

The shop looked like a shop, but it was organized so neatly and meticulously that it appeared like a dainty museum. Signs were placed every few feet apart, kindly yet firmly asking every customer to ask for assistance. Every section was labeled with a different time era, starting with the Victorian era and ending in the 1970s. Kat and her team had worked meticulously to arrange and collocate these displays, and no one would dare mess up their beautifully organized system. The sign had kindly asked them not to.

Hello, beautiful miss, Kat flashed her red-lipped smile and blinked her cat-eyed face. The eager customer was wearing a yellow off the shoulder floral printed top with high-waisted button-up denim shorts.

How can I help you? Kat asked her.

Yes, I need a dress for an upcoming event, Vintage Day at Themes Park.

Oh, of course! Winter Vintage Day is coming up! I need to prepare for that.

Prepare? You're going to Themes Park too?

This year, yes, with my daughters. I will be going to the park. Actually, I am one of the vendors at convention. You should check it out!

I definitely will. Sorry, I love your outfit! I love this store. I wish I could just live here, live this lifestyle. She was looking at the black-and-white photos that were displayed all over the store. Each photo clearly depicted the happier times of their subjects during the early and mid-twentieth century. The photographs stood in a timeline manner to demonstrate the progression of the years.

Kat smiled. Thank you. I've been living this way since, well, I want to say my sophomore year of high school.

I wish I could dress like this every day. She stared at the framed photograph of a couple on what appeared to be their wedding day. I love all of your photos, especially that couple—so beautiful. I love her wedding dress. She pointed to the young woman wearing a white polka-dotted, knee-length dress. She was holding three magnolias and standing beside a tall, well-dressed man who had his arm wrapped around the woman's waist.

Thank you, I have that actual dress in my other shop in Santa Barbara, Kat responded, smiling at the frame.

No way! her eyes widened with amazement. It's gorgeous! Do you know all of these people in the photos?

Oh yeah. That couple, they're my grandparents. That is from their wedding day in 1956.

That's adorable. So beautiful. And you still have her wedding dress? Kat nodded. Do you have all of her outfits?

I wish, but her wedding dress was the inspiration for…my lifestyle. She is my entire inspiration.

As she stared at the photograph in awe, suddenly her eyes sparkled with curiosity. Is the dress for sale?

Kat looked at the photo. No, I apologize. That will be mine forever until I pass it down to one of my daughters. You can see it on display, though, if you ever plan on visiting Santa Barbara.

"I will definitely check it out the next time I am there. My best friend actually attends UCSB, so maybe I will check