Page 9 of Spending Forever With You

“No, unfortunately, Mr. Deacon, your grandfather didn’t make it and⁠—"

I collapsed to my knees, unable to process her words beyond hearing my Grandpa Jimmy was gone.

I didn’t notice Shep and Rando had come over until Rando took the phone out of my hand and Shep pulled me up.

“Yo, what’s going on?”

“They said Jimmy was rushed to the hospital…and he’s gone, man.” I choked, barely able to get the last part of my sentence out.

The following days moved in a blur after planning then attending a funeral for someone I selfishly knew I would have forever. Since the team only gave me just enough time off to do the bare minimum, we got Jimmy buried in less than a week.

“Deacon, are you good?” my cousin Kay asked while placing a plate of food in front of me. She had been staying with me at my house since the funeral. Growing up, it was always us and her brother Ray together. They were both older than me by a couple years, so she immediately snapped into protective mode when it came to me. Both of them for real. The only difference between Kay and Ray was when Hollis came into the picture, she didn’t switch up.

“Yeah, Kay, I’m good. Thanks for the food. Did you eat something?” She nodded but I knew that was a lie. She barely ate much as it was, calling it eating while cooking.

“Yes. Now don’t worry about me. You got that meeting with the lawyer in a few and can’t be late.” I didn’t fight her on the lack of food because she was right. I had to head out in a minute to handle Jimmy’s will before practice.

I finished eating, then headed out, arriving at the lawyer’s office with minutes to spare.

“Hi, welcome to Yates and Long. How can I help you?” The chipper receptionist greeted me with a smile. I did my best to match her energy.

“Um… hi, yes, I’m Luke Deacon, here for an appointment with Skyla Howell.”

“Oh yes, I’ll let her know you’re here. Please take a seat.” I opted to stand while I pulled out my phone, immediately going to Skroll to get to Caught Live’s page to see the latest piece by her. When I didn’t see one, I huffed, locking my phone just as my name was called.

“Mr. Deacon?” I looked up to see a light skinned woman dressed in black pantsuit.

I followed her to her conference room where there was water and coffee waiting on the table.

“So, you’re here to discuss your grandfather’s will. As I mentioned on the phone, the formal letter is set to go out in the mail, you didn’t have to come in.”

“Yeah, I figured I would save you from wasting a stamp and paper.” Jimmy didn’t have much, and what he had should come to me and Kay since Ray stopped fucking with the family, going down the same path as our parents, in and out of prison and running the streets.

Skyla cleared her throat. “Yes, well, let’s get started since you’re here. We can go over your portion in Mr. Deacon’s will.” She flipped open a document, scanning it until she spoke again.

“Oh yes, here we are. He left you his two motorcycles and the property on Russell Road along with your wife, Hollis Walker, and also—” I cut her off before she could finish going over the details.

“Wait, my who?”

“Your wife, Hollis Walker.” I chuckled as I shook my head.

“She’s my ex-wife, so I’m sure we can count her out.”

“Um… legally speaking you two are still married. Since she’s living and her name is in the will, we can’t legally leave her out.”

“Legally?”

Skyla flipped through the folder before producing a file with my marriage status, dated three days ago, that said I was still married to Hollis. I sat there quietly while she continued.

“Yes. Shall I continue?” I nodded, giving her the okay while I sat there trying to make sense of the news she had just dropped on me.

I’m still married to Hollis?

But how?

“He also left you two his 1969 Camaro and set up a college fund of fifty thousand for your future son or daughter.” I laughed out loud as I grabbed the back of my neck. My mind flashed at all the memories Hollis and I had and made that involved both of those things and knew what Jimmy was doing, even from the grave.

“Jimmy, you’re a sneaky muthafucka.”