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“Sure. No problem!”
I help Nina up the slick steps of the law office, then bang on the door. It’s early, but I know Hank is awake. He lives and breathes law.
“Come on, Hank.” I continue banging on the door until the curtain moves, Hank’s aged eyes peer out the window to see who it is.
He unlocks the door and swings it open. “Simon St. Claire? Boy, is that you?”
“In the flesh, Hank. Tell me what I need to sign to keep the family fortune and the sanctuary away from my uncle’s greedy hands. We can catch up another time. Do you have a copy of my father’s will?”
It takes a few seconds for him to find his words. “Yes, yes, of course. Come in. Let’s get this done. I’m so happy you’re back.” His eyes cut to Nina. “I can’t imagine you had anything to do with this, young lady?”
She shakes her head, suddenly shy.
“She has everything to do with it, Hank. We’re getting married. I’m never leaving home again.”
“Good.” He smiles, his cheeks rosy with happiness. “Oh, that’s wonderful. It has to be a Christmas wedding. Oh, the town will be so happy.” He claps his hands. “Fern, Fawn, and Merry are going to have a field day.”
Nina snickers, but I forgot that Hank gets a bit sidetracked sometimes.
“Hank, I’d love to marry her on Christmas day, but I need the paperwork about my dad first.”
“Right.” He snaps his fingers. “Right. I have the file. It’s been waiting for you.” He takes a picture off the wall revealing a vault. “I never trusted that uncle of yours. He’s come into my office a few times looking for the paperwork your father left. I only ever gave him a copy of the will— per your father’s request.” He opens the safe and slides a file out. “Here we are.” He opens it on his desk. “I only need you to sign here,” he points to one arrow. “Then here.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it, then everything is yours and your uncle can’t do anything about it.”
I read over the simple document, granting me ownership of the sanctuary and the three billion dollars that’s been waiting for me. I flip the page, reading the will, and there in fine print is the stipulation my uncle warned me about.
How did I not see that before?
I only have until midnight tonight before everything is my uncle’s.
I pick up the pen, scribble my name on the legal documents, and I feel lighter.
“Your father would be very proud of you,” Hank says, making copies of what I just signed.
I grunt, not believing that for a bit. He’d be furious at me for disappearing on the people who loved me, and I wouldn’t blame him.
“We all handle grief differently, my boy.” He tucks the paperwork in an envelope and hands it to me. “Congratulations. Oh— I nearly forgot.” He digs in the safe again, pulling out an old, crinkled envelope that has seen better days. “From your father. To you.”
My breath hitches in my throat as I gently take it from him.
“I wasn’t allowed to give it to you until you signed the paperwork. I was getting nervous,” he chuckles.
“Thank you, Hank.”
“Welcome home, Simon.”
I give him a forced smile before we leave. When the cold air hits me, I exhale, my breath showing in a frozen cloud.
“Are you going to read it?”
“Not yet,” I say to Nina, tucking the letter in my back pocket. “Let’s go home first.”
“Your house or mine?”
“Ours,” I state simply, knowing she has no idea what I’m talking about.
