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“A quitclaim deed was filed at the county recorder’s office. A deed transferring all real property here in Colorado to Uncle Ryan and Aunt Lauren.”
“What?” I say. That’s our ranch. Our ranch, and it’s huge and worth a ton.
I’m not alone. Chaos erupts. Uncle Joe lets it go on for a minute until he pounds on the table.
Silence reigns as if a judge has pounded his gavel. Uncle Joe gestures to Uncle Ryan.
“Lauren and I have talked,” Uncle Ryan says, “and we have no intention of keeping the property. We’re going to transfer it in five equal shares among the five of us.”
“Of course,” Lauren agrees. “I had no idea I was even entitled to any of it.”
“You are entitled, Lauren,” Uncle Joe says. “And we will not deprive you of what is rightfully yours. You, and your issue, Jack and Pat, are Steels.”
She smiles timidly. “I do appreciate how you’ve all embraced me. I can’t believe my mother did this.”
“It was most likely a failsafe,” Uncle Joe says. “Wendy was a smart woman—a genius—and when she finally passed away, she likely had things in place. As you know, we found an original deed under Brendan’s floorboards that is signed by our father transferring everything to Ryan.”
“Apparently there was another,” Uncle Talon says. “And this one included you, Lauren. Which means Wendy always knew who your father was, even though she told you he was some fictitious half brother.”
“I hate to be a big stick in the mud, Dad,” Brock says to Uncle Joe, “but why did we all need to be here for this?”
Uncle Joe clears his throat. “Because the five of us Steel siblings, including Aunt Lauren, have decided to transfer everything to all of our children. In equal shares.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Brock says. “You and Mom have two kids, but Aunt Jade and Uncle Talon have four, and so do Aunt Marj and Uncle Bryce.”
“That’s true. Which is why we need to talk about how the distribution should take place.”
“Again,” I say. “This couldn’t have waited until we got home?”
Uncle Joe clears his throat. “No, David,” he says, “because unfortunately, I may not be able to lead the family by then.”
I drop my jaw, along with everyone else at the table except Aunt Melanie.
She buries her face in her hands.
“It’s all right, Melanie,” Uncle Joe says. “That’s why we’re all here.”
Aunt Melanie sniffles and wipes her eyes with a tissue. “I’m okay, Jonah.”
Uncle Joe sighs. “I’ve been diagnosed with brain cancer.”
The room goes silent. You could hear a pin drop.
“Unfortunately, the type of tumor I have is called glioblastoma.”
Still silence.
“This is not news we took lightly, obviously. I will be starting radiation and chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, and then I’ll have brain surgery in about a month with further treatment after that as the physicians deem necessary. However, the average life expectancy after this diagnosis is fourteen to sixteen months.”
Oh, God. My heart goes wild, and my mind goes fuzzy. My sisters start to sniffle, and my father, sitting next to Uncle Joe…
His face goes pale as a newly washed sheet.
Uncle Talon pats Uncle Joe’s hand. Clearly, besides Aunt Melanie, he’s the only person in the room with previous knowledge of Uncle Joe’s news. “So obviously, Joe needs to start his treatment right away, and this is not something we wanted to tell you over the phone. We have to figure out this deal with our property before Joe has his surgery, because at that point, he will need to devote all his energy toward his healing.”
“Oh my God, Dad.” Brock’s voice cracks. “No wonder you needed me home.”
“Yes, Brock,” Uncle Joe says. “You need to take over.”
