by Powerone
Although Heidi was angry at Justine’s decision to go to Europe, she hoped to convince her to stay before she left.
Justine waited until her mother sat down. “I thought Aunt Sabrina was dead.”
It shocked Heidi to hear that name again, especially from Justine. What could’ve prompted such a question? She’d have to tread lightly.
“Where did that question come from?”
“I got a letter today.”
Now, she was really worried. Who sent a letter about Sabrina to Justine? “Let me see it.” She tried not to act concerned. Heidi saw the official stationary and that gave her some relief. She read it quickly, but there was sadness in her heart when she read the news. It had been decades since she saw Sabrina, but there was a great divide between them that could never be crossed again. “I’ll call tomorrow and tell them you won’t attend.” She kept the letter.
“That’s my decision, not yours,” Justine offended by her mother taking control of the situation as she always did.
“That is a past that I don’t want dredged up,” Heidi was adamant now.
“That’s fine. The letter makes no mention of you, and I expected to get a letter for you, but nothing. I suspect it was on purpose now.” It seemed that Sabrina had the same problems with her mother that she had. Now she was curious. She still had time before she went to Europe and Virginia was closer to New York where she could catch an international flight and Bridget could meet her there.
“Yes, that is why you’re not going.” That was the end of it.
“In case you forgot, Mother,” she snarled, “I’m an adult. I graduated from college and I’m moving out and making my own decisions. I’m going to Europe in less than a week, and I’m going to stop in Virginia on my way.” She snatched the letter back from her mother and saw the startled look on her face when she did it.
The argument continued for a short time, with neither side giving in. It continued over dinner with her father trying to placate both sides, but he seemed to be just as much in the dark about Sabrina as Justine was.
The next day when her mother left for work, Justine made the call. The attorney was very nice but less than informative.
“I can’t give out any details until the reading of the will. I have reservations for your flight along with a rental car at the airport in Virginia. It’s not far from Roanoke Airport. Accommodations will be provided that are suitable for you.” He hoped that she’d come. Many people were counting on him to convince her.
It sounded like a mystery, but that made it more compelling. It didn’t hurt that she’d be standing up against her mother. But she was also curious of this forgotten relative. Was it on purpose that her mother never mentioned her?
“Let me get a pen and you can give me the details. I’ll be there.” He gave her the reservations for the plane and car.
“You should arrive in time for the reading of the will. Come directly from the airport, you can get settled after that.” He was relieved.
When her mother came home and Justine told her of her plans, the argument continued, including during dinner, but Justine never backed down. She spent most of the night in her room packing. She didn’t pack heavily for Europe. She’d splurge and buy clothes there. She’d saved a considerable amount working while in college, and her parents gave her a graduation present of two thousand dollars, although her mother regretted it when Justine told her of her European plans.
She got up early, and her father went to work late to say goodbye. Her mother left at the same time, although they did hug and kiss, but it was a tense goodbye. Uber came immediately and she was off to the airport. Bridget had already agreed to meet her in New York City. They talked a lot about this strange will reading and her mother’s reluctance to let her go. She was on her way to be on her own for the rest of her life.
* * *
The flight started out terrible—the security check lines too long—but once she got to the gate, she got a surprise. Her ticket was first class. All of a sudden, things started to look up. She was ushered into the lounge, and even though it was early, she had a drink, a Bloody Mary. She began to relax. Even when the plane started to board, there was no hurry for her. She got to the front of the line and took her seat while others still scrambled to get in line. She never knew airplanes had such big seats with plenty of legroom. A flight attendant got her a drink before the plane was ready to take off.
It was a leisurely flight with an in-house movie and a snack. It was only a two and half-hour flight, and it passed quickly. She was able to disembark first and beat the crowd, although Roanoke Airport wasn’t that large. It was modern but not as large as the airport at home. She waited for her baggage. First class bags didn’t come any quicker, but it wasn’t that long before she had her single bag. She easily found Hertz Rental. There was no line.
“Reservation for Justine Richter.” It took the attendant only a second to find her reservation online.
“What car would you like?”
“What are my choices?” She expected a small compact, but that would be okay. She was told it was only a short drive.
“Anything. You’re reserved for the Prestige Collection, but you can go down if you desire. But, you look like a Mercedes E350 person. The weather is nice and you’ll look good in a convertible.”
He was young, mid-thirties, and she wasn’t sure if he was selling her or trying to date her. Her luck continued, and she saw no reason not to take advantage of it. After all, the attorney said it would be at his expense. She couldn’t wait to see the hotel accommodations. “I’ll take the E350 as you suggest, black if you have it,” she said as if she did this all the time. She couldn’t wait to tell Bridget about this. It was going to be tough to visit Europe on a budget after this.
He took only a minute to finish the paperwork. “Sign here, here and here. The car will be waiting outside for you.”
She signed and initialed the paperwork without reading them. “Thank you.” She walked off, and she knew he was looking at her as she walked away. Did I really just swing my ass to tease him? There was an attendant waiting with the car, but the top was already down with the trunk up. He put her bag in the trunk. He gave her some instructions on the car, including how to put the top up, but it was simple. A touch of a button did it. It had a navigation system, so she punched in the attorney’s address. He was correct, it wasn’t far, and she had over an hour to get there.
She saw Roanoke in the distance as she headed to Mason Cove, but it was a small city. She came to the downtown of Mason Cove, and it wasn’t much. She’d read that it was only twelve-thousand people, and from the downtown, it wasn’t a wealthy or vibrant community. She feared that there would be little to do here, hoping that Roanoke would be better. She didn’t even see any hotel except for a Motel 6. Her thought of a luxury hotel was dampened. She was almost out of the downtown when the navigation system announced she was there. It was a modern two-story building, out of place among the rest of downtown with its forty-year-old brick storefronts. It was as if the attorney was the only prosperous one in the town. She’d seen some of the homes, small, older houses but neatly kept. Sabrina probably had lived in one of them. She pulled the car into the parking lot.
She got out and went to the front door. She’d dressed in a skirt and pullover, short sleeve, since she wouldn’t be able to change before the reading. It was good that she flew first class and had plenty of legroom, so she didn’t look wrinkled. The inside of the office was just as plush as the outside, marble floors with modern furniture. There was a young receptionist dressed for the occasion of the plush office. The girl responded before she could say anything.
“Ms. Richter, welcome. Mr. Poller is waiting for you. Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.” She was half an hour early, but she was ushered into his office immediately. He wasn’t what she expected. He was older, sixty or seventy, but he was dressed impeccably. Everything about him and his office was out o
f touch with the rest of the community. It looked as though it was transplanted from some large city.
Mathew stood up as she entered. Now, he knew what the fuss was about. “It’s good to meet you, Ms. Richter.” He extended his hand. She had a firm grip and it wasn’t clammy. She had an exceptional body.
“Call me, Justine. It’s nice to meet you, although I’m at a loss for why I’m here. I never knew my great aunt Sabrina, and my mother never spoke of her. I thought she’d died a long time ago.”
He made no effort to correct her. That wasn’t his job. “We can begin.”
“Aren’t there others to arrive?” Now, she was really confused. Am I the only one?
“No, you are the only one. Have a seat and I can get started.” He enjoyed the way she crossed her legs and left a lot of leg showing. He might be older, but he wasn’t dead.
Mathew opened the folder and began to read. He started with all the formalities and legalese. Then, he got to the main part of the will. “Justine Richter, daughter of Heidi Klein Richter is the sole heir of the estate of Sabrina Klein. The estate consists of the property located as 1246 Pinnacle Lane, Mason Cove, Virginia as well as all furnishings and contents. It also includes the automobiles as listed on the attached list housed at the above address.”
Justine had a shocked look on her face as she heard what he said. She owned a house and cars, but he continued to speak.
“All personal effects of the deceased are willed to the heir along with the bank accounts, brokerage accounts and other accounts holding cash or its equivalent to the named sole beneficiary including the life insurance proceeds.” Mathew stopped, but Justine said nothing. She was in shock. He’d seen this happen before. He knew that Justine’s mother wouldn’t come, but they never told him why, and he never asked. That was none of his business. His lack of questions over the decades is what brought him to be the attorney of so many of them. He respected their privacy.
Justine’s mouth was so dry that words wouldn’t come out even as her mind raced. This wasn’t what she expected. At the most, she thought she’d get some heirloom of her great aunt, not everything, although she still didn’t know what that meant. She didn’t know what she’d do with a house. She couldn’t afford to keep it. She didn’t even have a job. She hated to sound crass, but she asked the question. “How much is the money?”
“Between the bank accounts, brokerage accounts and bonds, its two million, five hundred forty-six thousand dollars and twenty-seven cents. I filed for the insurance policy, and when paid, it’ll add another million to the total, but that will take a month or so.” He was afraid she’d have a heart attack. Her lovely chest was heaving uncontrollably, and he was afraid she wasn’t even breathing. “Can I get you something, Justine?”
“Water, water,” she managed to say. The receptionist brought it in immediately, as if she knew it would be needed. She gulped it down.
“There is only one stipulation to the will.”
Her heart sank to her belly. A stipulation. She knew what that meant. It could be all taken away with the same ease she got it. “What is it?” She held her breath.
“For thirty days you must live in the house and you can’t tell anyone of your inheritance until the time limit is up. That includes your family, especially your mother.” Mathew waited a minute before he added. “I knew that your mother and Sabrina were estranged for decades, and I suspect this stipulation was put in so your mother wouldn’t affect your decisions for at least thirty days. Will that be a problem?”
“No, I just graduated and I planned to go to Europe this week for the summer with my best friend, and when I returned, I didn’t expect to go home. But, I’m allowed to do anything with the money before the thirty days are up?” She could convince Bridget to go to Europe without her and say nothing to her parents if she gave her enough money to make the trip in style.
“You’ll be limited to two hundred thousand dollars for the thirty days, but that should be sufficient.”
“Is the house livable?”
“I think you’ll find it more than adequate for you, Justine. Sabrina had excellent fashion sense.”
Justine found her life took a new road. It still hadn’t completely sunk in yet, but it would be more real once she went to the house. It also made her curious as to why her mother and Sabrina were estranged. Maybe she’d find answers in Sabrina’s house. Then, it dawned on her to ask. “What did Sabrina die of?”
“Cancer, although it was quick.”
“What else do I need to do?”
“There is a ton of paperwork to be handled, but we can wait a week so you can digest everything that has happened. I’ve had a bank account set up with the local bank in your name, and all it requires is your signature. It has two hundred thousand dollars in it.” He handed her keys to the house. “You can call me or my receptionist if you need anything. She lives in Mason Cove, so she can tell you about the town. It’s small, so there are some inconveniences, but they are easily overcome. But, I think you’ll find it a nice place to live.” He did his part, now it was up to the others.
She went out to the lobby and signed the paperwork. She had a checkbook that had two hundred thousand dollars in it. She couldn’t believe it. “When do I have to return the car?”
“I’ll have Hertz send someone out to pick it up tomorrow. I think you’ll find Sabrina’s collection of cars adequate. As I said, she had good taste in everything.”
“I still have thousands of questions, but I need to relax and contemplate all of this.”
“Yes, take your time. I had the house stocked with food and beverages, so you should be good for a few days.”
“You seemed to have thought of everything. I can’t thank you enough.”
“That is my job. Remember me if you are looking for an attorney. You have considerable assets now, and I can help you protect and invest them for your future. I do the same work for most of the wealthy owners in Mason Cove.” He handed her keys to the house.
“I will certainly take that seriously, thank you again.” She had to get home and sit down and digest all the news. She walked out to her Mercedes convertible with a new step in her walk. So there were other wealthy people in Mason Cove, but she didn’t know where they were. She never saw any of it and the town wasn’t that big. She put in the address of the house into the navigation system. It was only a few miles away. That’s good. Even though it was before lunch, she needed a drink, maybe a couple of drinks.
She drove out of the downtown and headed higher up the mountain. The turn came quickly and if the navigation system didn’t tell her to look for it, she would’ve missed it. The street didn’t even have a sign marker, as if no one wanted it to be known. The road was well maintained, and she drove less than a mile before she came upon an unexpected gate with a guard shack. There was a wrought iron fence all around it, standing up at least eight feet high. She stopped as the guard stepped out of the shack.
“Welcome, Ms. Richter. In the future, all of the other vehicles have sensors that will automatically open the gate as you approach.” He opened the gate for her.
“Thank you,” she smiled as she drove off. It was obvious now, but she never realized that Sabrina’s house had to be something more substantial than the typical houses she saw in Mason Cove when Justine found out how much money she had. Obviously, this was where the wealthy that the attorney represented lived. She passed a few driveways, but the houses were almost invisible in the woods, although the driveways were manicured. She was on Pinnacle and 1246 was the next driveway. She turned, and the driveway meandered to the right as it rose higher up on the hill until she came to it. Sabrina might have lived alone, but the house wasn’t small. It was a two-story brick colonial with two large pillars in the front. From the look of the number of windows, it had to be at least four bedrooms. It was well cared for. Luckily, Justine had enough money to continue taking care of it, although she hadn’t decided on her fate yet. She’d give it thirty days before she de
cided to sell it or not. Mason Cove wasn’t the sprawling metropolis she dreamed of living at, even with Roanoke not far off.
She put the top up and got her bag out of the trunk. She went to the double front door. The key slid in easily and the door opened. She was in a large foyer, and it was decorated nicely, although Justine tended to like modern, she couldn’t deny the colonial feel was fitting of the house.
As she walked around the house, it almost felt as though she was intruding. Everything was still the same way as if Sabrina lived there and would return home any second and catch her intruding. She headed for the kitchen, but she found a small bar that was fully stocked in the living room instead. She needed a drink. She found a ten-year-old Scotch and poured it in a glass. There was soda in the fridge along with ice. The drink had more Scotch than soda, but she needed it. As curious as she was, she sat down with her drink and tried to contemplate all that had happened in the matter of as little as two hours. She kicked off her shoes and put her feet on the coffee table, after all, this is her house. The Scotch went down smoothly. She had a second Scotch before she grew hungry, but first, she’d take her bag to a bedroom. That would be really strange to settle into someone else’s bedroom. She left her glass on the table as she took her bag upstairs.
The stairway was grand, curving gracefully as it went to the second floor. The hallway was long but wide. It had three doors on each side, but the first set of doors was double doors. It had to be the master bedroom. She opened the door, and she wasn’t let down. It was a massive bedroom, bigger than her living room at home. It was definitely a feminine room with a large four-poster bed in the center covered in a white comforter and half-dozen pillows fluffed up. There was a white chest of drawers as well as a white dresser. To the right was a walk-in closet, the door open to reveal its massive size. It had an en suite bathroom, although the door was closed.
She put her bag on the bed as she went into the bathroom. It was as big as the walk-in closet with double sinks, a soaking tub and a glass-enclosed shower that was big enough for four people, with two sets of showerheads. Justine wondered how old Sabrina was.