by Alice Brown
“Dirty,” Marshall mumbled, his nose buried deep in her hair. “We were underground all day.” He watched her face to see how she was going to take the news, knowing he had more to tell her.
“Oh, I guess there is a lot of cleaning up to do down there,” she said slowly, and a little sadly, but she seemed to be accepting the facts much better as she recovered from her pain and injuries.
The ringing of his phone stopped any further conversation. “Yes, okay. Give us five minutes, and we will be there.”
Stephanie turned to Marshall with her brows furrowed. “Where do we need to be in five minutes?”
“Downstairs with your family. Something was discovered today while we were underground.” He stopped there, not sure how much more he wanted to tell her. After a short internal debate, he decided it would be best if he at least gave her an idea as to what was going on.
He sighed. “Your father and I brought up a chest today, found by some of the workers helping in the cleanup. It had been hidden by a trap door under the floor of what used to be a building.” He watched her face carefully. The next part was going to be the hard part.
“Your father believes it belonged to Pop Atkins.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly, knowing she would need his support, his strength. He freely gave it to her.
There was complete silence for a moment as she mulled the information over. Her head was on his shoulder, and he heard a shuddering breath come out of her. “Oh, I see.”
“We stashed it in Erica’s office. He wants everyone down there together when it is opened,” Marshall continued as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Going through whatever was in that chest was going to be hard on her.
Stephanie blinked back a few tears threatening to escape before squaring her shoulders and glancing up at Marshall with a tremulous smile. “Well, let’s go get this over with.” He could see her fighting back tears, and kept his arms wrapped around her, relieved to see she wasn’t going through another stress attack.
“I know this is going to be hard on you, but I will be right there with you,” he whispered in her ear, before leaning down to capture her lips. He kept the kiss light, breaking it off a quick moment later.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “Thank you, baby. Thank you for being my rock right now.” She gifted him with a smile, less shaky than the last, before continuing, “Come on, we might as well get this over with.”
As they approached the stairs, Marshall inquired, “Is your leg strong enough for the stairs?” Her leg had been badly damaged, and had taken much longer to heal than vamp injuries usually did. Because of this, he didn’t know how much strength she had in it. “Yes, it feels really well for the first time in weeks.”
Marshall stopped at Erica’s closed office door and reached over to take Stephanie’s hand. “Just remember, I am here for you,” he whispered before opening the door. Erica, Kevin, Charles, and Rosetta had already arrived. Kevin had the chest pulled out from its corner, and it sat in the middle of the room like an ominous relic. The room was eerily silent, even with six adults in it. Kevin waited until Stephanie and Marshall were seated before speaking.
“I wanted everyone here together when this is opened,” Kevin began. “I have no idea what is in this thing, but I do know it weighs a ton!” Marshall chuckled at this last comment. It had been heavy for them to haul up that afternoon, even with their vampire strength.
Kevin broke the lock off the chest and opened the lid, letting it fall back to reveal the contents inside. A thick manila envelope sat on top, but what the envelope was sitting on riveted the attention of everyone in the room. Kevin reached down and removed the envelope, and scooped up a handful of colorful gems, every different type you could imagine: diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and more. The entire chest was full of priceless gems and precious stones.
The room suddenly became alive with everyone talking at once and sitting up to get a better look. Charles chuckled out loud as he stated, “Well, this shouldn’t surprise me; he once told me that he had owned a gem mine.”
“I have never seen anything so beautiful in all my life,” Erica breathed, eyes glued to the contents of the chest. “Is the entire chest full of nothing but gemstones?” she asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
“No wonder that thing weighs a ton,” Marshall observed.
Kevin sat back in his chair and opened the envelope that had been on the top of the chest. He glanced through the documents and shook his head. “Dad, you might want to pull your chair over here, I think you might be interested in this.”
Charles stood and moved his chair next to Kevin’s. “What is it, son?”
“It looks to be Atkins’s Will,” Kevin replied, and then continued, “along with information regarding a couple of Swiss bank accounts.”
“Well, I’ll be,” Charles remarked, shaking his head. “Let’s start with the Will.”
Last Will and Testament
I, Samuel Atkins, do hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any and all Wills and Codicils to Wills at any time heretofore made by me.
Article I
I hereby appoint to replace me on the Governing Council, my dear friend, Erica O’Rourke. Erica, I have always had faith in you, and I know I can rest in peace knowing you will be taking my seat on the Council Board. You have proven many times over the years that you truly want what is best for our society. Thank you for making an old man happy again.
Article II
This Last Will and Testament will have been found with a large chest full of gems and precious stones. These I leave in the care of Charles O’Rourke; his son, Kevin O’Rourke; and Kevin’s wife, Erica O’Rourke. I trust the three of you to use the immense wealth in this chest wisely to help our society grow and prosper.
Charles, dear friend, what can I say? We have been through much together, and I will miss you, old friend. Take care of our society, as I know you will. Your dedication is unmatched.
Kevin, I have always thought of you as a son. I have watched you grow into the man you are today, are so like your father, dedicated to protecting and serving your society. One day you will end up taking your father’s place, and I know you will do me proud. I have never had a son of my own, but I couldn’t be prouder of you if you were my very own.
Article III
Enclosed are numerous documents representing my bank accounts, currently located in Switzerland. One account has been set up to be handed over to Stephanie O’Rourke and Marshall Riggs on their wedding day. This is my wedding present to the two of you. Enjoy your long and happy life together.
Stephanie, I have watched you grow from an infant to the lovely young woman you are today. I am so very proud of you and all of your work helping our community. Remember, my child: never give up.
Marshall: I have had the pleasure of getting to know you well over the past six years. You are a very humble, loyal, and dedicated man. I have watched your love for my adopted granddaughter, Stephanie, blossom over the years, as you waited for her to reach maturity. I know the two of you will blaze your own path within our society, and I know I can rest assured that even if something should come of both Charles and Kevin O’Rourke, the society will still be in good hands with you involved. Take care of Stephanie, and may the two of you have a long and prosperous life together.
Article IV
The remaining bank account is to go to Kevin and Erica O’Rourke. This money is yours to do with as you see fit. There are no stipulations to this account, but if I know the two of you, part of it will end up helping our society prosper. You have a long life left ahead of you, and I foresee the two of you running this society in the future. It couldn’t be in better hands. Good luck my friends, and God Bless You.
This Last Will and Testament is made by me, Samuel Atkins, of sound mind and body, as witnessed by my Attorney: Mr. James Smitherland of San Francisco, California
Chapter Twenty-Five
Charles finished reading the will out loud, and silence once again descended upon the room. Stephanie had leaned over and placed her head on Marshall’s shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her tightly, offering what support he could.
Finally, Erica glanced over to her daughter and then stated, “You know, it’s times like this I almost wish I weren’t a vampire, just for the chance to be able to have a good cry to drain my emotions out of me.”
Kevin immediately reached over and pulled his wife into his lap. She put her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. The two sat in silence for a moment before he exclaimed, “You know, I’ve been a vampire a long time, but I know what you mean. God, I miss that man.”
Charles had also walked back over to Rosetta, sitting down next to her and putting his arm around her and kissing her forehead tenderly when she placed her head on his shoulder. Each couple remained silent in each other’s arms for a moment, drawing upon one another’s strength, as they tried to cope with the loss of a dear friend.
It was a good thirty minutes later before anyone spoke a word. Charles was the first to start the conversation. “Well, I guess we need to put a plan together and figure out where to start. The council has been hesitant on rebuilding because of the lack of funds. I don’t think that will be an issue any longer. I, for one, would like for us to do some research before we start rebuilding to see if we can make our buildings underground stronger, so we aren’t facing total devastation ever again.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more, Dad. When is the board meeting again, and where are they meeting these days?” Kevin asked Charles.
“They are scheduled to meet the end of this week at my house,” Charles replied.
“Okay, so we have four days to come up with a game plan, do some research on materials, and be ready to present it to the board,” Kevin stated.
“Well, we are going to need to sell some of these gems to help pay for the rebuilding. I know our jeweler has been out of business since the earthquake. Why don’t we get him involved? He can start turning some of these into the cash we’ll need for supplies and construction materials,” Charles stated logically.
“Do you know him well? Can he be trusted?” Kevin questioned Charles.
“Kevin, I know Max the jeweler. I have taken several stones into him for appraisal or repair, or settings, and he has never done me wrong. As a matter of fact, he has named a price that he would be willing to pay for some of my stones, and his offers have been very good when I checked around,” Marshall stated.
“I have done business with him on and off for many years now. You can trust him, and I am sure he would jump at the chance to have some work,” Charles replied.
“I know we will have to work out all the details, but here are some of my thoughts for the board. We now have the means to rebuild everything that was underground, at no cost to anyone who previously lived down there. Times have been tough, and I don’t think our community members should need to worry about how to come up with the money themselves. Here is what I am proposing: Rebuild the retirement village, science labs, judicial district, and the school. I would like to see the school updated and better equipped. Rebuild the hospital, the residential section, the movie plaza and community center, the bowling alley and the two shopping centers. Also add a library down there. We now have the funds to do it all. Give the newly-built houses to those who were living down there before. Now, if anyone else wants to move down there, that is a different story. The shop owners have lost a tremendous amount of money in merchandise alone. Rebuild the shopping centers, and give the owners six to eight months of free rent, so they can get back on their feet. We should also extend low-interest loans to any who need it to restock their stores.”
“I like your thinking, Kevin,” Charles replied. “But I want an iron clad promise from the council first, to insure that part of the property taxes comes back to us for the next several years. They will also need to agree to give up the rent money from the shopping center also. If we are paying to have it rebuilt, then I don’t see why they should get the rent. That way the rebuilding money we will have laid out will slowly start trickling back in over the next several years. As the money comes in, we would be able to invest it and prepared if another disaster strikes.”
“Yes, you’re right. If the council isn’t willing to spend community money on rebuilding, then why should they get to keep the tax money?” Kevin asked.
“My point exactly, son.” Charles smiled to Kevin.
“Okay, since you know this jeweler, can you take care of getting in touch with him and see what he can do for us?”
“Sure, I’ll give him a call tomorrow morning,” Charles replied.
“Dad, I need to talk to you about something,” Stephanie spoke as she lifted her head off Marshall’s shoulder. “I spoke with Mary today. Ever since the earthquake hit, her shelter has been full to overflowing. Mary’s parents are staying there also, which isn’t helping matters. But there are so many people that don’t have anything, no home, no job, no clothing other than what is on their back. She has given what she can, but her funds are starting to run low. She is feeding about sixty people a day, and has over thirty staying there on a constant basis right now. If it is okay with you and mom, I would like to offer her what I have in my savings account.”
Marshall frowned down at her. In a low voice, he stated, “Baby, why haven’t you said anything to me? I can help, you know.” The look on his face clearly stated he was not happy that his fiancée had gone to her father first instead of to him.
Kevin was quick to answer, trying to smooth things over. “You two work it out however you want to do it. By the way, give me just a minute here,” he spun around in his seat and started punching keys on Erica’s computer keyboard. Within seconds, he sat back, grinning widely. “I would say that neither of you will have to worry about money anytime in the near future. That Swiss bank account has over ten million dollars sitting in it for you two.”
“Ten million dollars?” Stephanie gulped in disbelief. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am looking at the accounts right here. The other account has just as much in it also. Stephanie, leave your savings account alone for the time being. I’ll transfer two hundred and fifty thousand first thing tomorrow morning over to Mary’s shelter fund at her bank. That should take care of things for a little while.”
Stephanie shot Marshall a nervous glance. “What in the world are we supposed to do with ten million dollars?”
To her, that seemed like an excessive amount of money. Marshall hadn’t gotten around to telling her his net worth yet. He wondered if he should or not. If ten million had her flipping out, what would she think of his financial situation? After giving it thought for a moment, he decided to keep that info quiet for the time being. She’d find out soon enough after they were married.
“Don’t fret over it, baby. It will be in the bank easily accessible if an emergency comes up. Otherwise, I say just leave it for the time being. It’s always good to have a little socked away for a rainy day.”
“You’re right. I guess when we get married I am going to need to learn how to handle finances. Although I have a feeling if I left it to you we would have a lot more saved up than I would.”
Marshall grinned and leaned over to kiss her lightly. “I’ll be glad to do them if you don’t want to, but we could also work on our finances together, that way we would be responsible to each other.”
She grinned up at him. “I like that idea.”
She let a yawn escape her, alerting Marshall to the fact that she was wearing out. He glanced down at his watch and realized they had been in Erica’s office for two hours. He waited until he caught Kevin’s attention. “Do you need us for anything else?”
Kevin could see that his daughter was getting tired. “No, I think that is all for tonight. I am going to put another lock on this chest and move it back over to the corner. This office usually stays locked when no one is in h
ere, so it should be safe.”
He then turned his attention to his father. “I would like to be here when the jeweler comes, though, just so I can meet him.”
“Certainly, son,” Charles replied. “I’ll get with you in the morning after I speak with him.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. We found some personal items while we were cleaning up today. I made all teams keep what they could salvage, and then separate the stacks so I would know where each stack came from. We have a large amount that came from the retirement village area. Do you mind taking it back home with you and see if the rightful owners can be located?”
“Sure, where is everything?” Charles asked.
“I’ll go get it,” Marshall volunteered, hauling Stephanie up with him, knowing she wasn’t going to let go of him.
They found two large boxes to put everything into and Charles and Rosetta quickly bid everyone goodnight, taking the boxes home to see if they could locate who owned the items within.
Stephanie bid her parents goodnight, and when Marshall offered to carry her upstairs, she didn’t refuse. He carried her into their bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. Instantly, she curled up, glancing up at him with emotions shining in her eyes.
“When does the pain go away, Marshall? He left us an absolute fortune, but I would gladly do without it if it meant I could have him back,” she stated softly.
Marshall sighed and quickly moved over to the other side of the bed, stretching his body alongside of hers, pulling her close. “I don’t know, sweetie. I wish I had an answer for that one.” He hugged her tightly against his side and kissed her forehead as she buried her head into his shoulder. He held her close as he heard her quietly sobbing. He had known she would fall apart this evening, and was just thankful that she had been able to hold it off until they were alone.