“We’re working on it,” Andy said simply. “Hey, do you know what Dad argued with her dad about back when we broke up? Eddy asked me what exactly happened between Samira and I, and it brought back a lot of memories.”
Something flashed across Elizabeth’s eyes before she answered. “I’m not sure honey, but it was a long time ago. Why don’t you forget about all that stuff. It doesn’t do any good to keep digging up the past. I’d better get along, so I’m not here all afternoon. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Andy watched in silence as his mother walked through the door of the shanty. His mother had wanted him to be on good terms with Samira. She had encouraged him to spend time with her ever since she got into town. The way she bristled at any questions about their past had him certain he was in the dark about something. That was going to change.
Chapter 4
“It’s nice that you and Andy are getting along so well,” Mary said when Samira walked into the living room.
“Yeah. It will be nice to leave here with less baggage than I came here with,” Samira agreed. “What time is the lawyer coming?”
“He should be here sometime soon. Are you in a hurry, dear?”
Samira saw the hurt flash across her aunt’s face before she was able to quickly recover. She didn’t want to hurt her aunt’s feelings; she loved her and enjoyed their time together. Knowing Mary must be lonely without her husband, she regretted behaving as if she couldn’t wait to get out of there.
“I’m not in a hurry to get away from you. I’m just anxious to get this over with. The sooner I can sign whatever I need to sign so I can put the property on the market, the sooner I can stop thinking about it. You know my parents are a touchy subject. It has nothing to do with you, Aunt Mary.”
“Your parents loved you.”
“I really don’t want to talk about it.”
Mary put her book on the table and sat forward. “Samira, I’m done listening to you tell me you don’t want to talk about it. You’ve been working on getting over the Andy stuff, and it’s beyond time you let go of the anger you still have directed at your parents.”
“Aunt Mary,” Samira tried to interrupt.
“No. You listen to what I have to say. Your parents loved you. When you had that fight and you left the island, they thought you would come back. When you didn’t come right back, they decided to give you time. They knew you would come back when you were ready. None of us could have imagined that time would be cut short the way it was. It’s not your fault, and it’s not their fault. It just is what it is, dear,” Mary said gently.
Samira couldn’t stop the tears that slowly rolled down her cheeks. She hadn’t talked about her parents since she left home. Even when she came back for their funeral, she had refused to talk about it. It hurt too much. It was her fault she didn’t get to say goodbye. If she hadn’t run off to the city to get away from her parents, she wouldn’t have had to bury them on such horrible terms. She knew the truth no matter what her aunt told her.
“I know they loved me,” she managed to say as she wiped her tears. “I just wish I could understand everything. Before I left, Dad told me that he wouldn’t have anything to do with me if I went back to seeing Andy. He said they weren’t the sort who could ever be family. He told me that Andy’s parents agreed. I wish you would tell me what that was about. His mom seems happy that we are getting along. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
“It’s not my place, dear. I wasn’t there, and the conversation didn’t concern me. Don’t worry about it. It’s over and nothing can change the past. Maybe ask Andy about it.”
Before she could say anything else on the matter, the doorbell rang. Samira got up to answer the door and found an oldergentleman wearing a shirt and tie. He carried a small briefcase and greeted her with a friendly smile.
“You must be Samira,” he said, reaching out a hand.
Samira shook his hand. “Yes, sir.”
The lawyer introduced himself as Robert Horner. They headed into the kitchen so they could sit at the table. Even though he seemed kind, Samira felt her nerves trying to get the best of her. Between the conversation she’d just had with her aunt, and the unknown with this lawyer, she felt extremely on edge.
“Well let’s get right to it, then,” he began. “It is in the last will and testament that the property in question, although belonging to both your aunt and uncle, will be turned over to you in the event of one or both passing away in death. I have the paperwork that you will need to sign. You may feel free to have an independent attorney take a look at it if you would like.”
“No. I trust my aunt and uncle; it’s fine. Where do I sign, so I can be done with it?”
“Well,” he hesitated. “It isn’t quite that simple. I do have some initial paperwork for you to sign, but it won’t be the final paperwork.”
Samira looked at him, confused. “What do you mean? Why are you here if you don’t have all the paperwork for me?”
He cleared his throat. “Well, I have everything that can be signed right here. I’ll let you read it all first, of course. Basically, your aunt and uncle wanted a waiting period. You do not have to keep the property, but you will be unable to sell it for at least sixty days.”
“Okay, that’s fine. Just tell me where to sign so that in sixty days I’ll be all set to sell it.”
“Not so fast. It is written that you cannot sell the property for at least sixty days, and during those sixty days you must reside in the house. You don’t have to spend every single night there,” he explained, “but you do need to live there.”
Samira stared at him blankly, unable to process everything he had said. She was more than okay with having to wait to sell. She wasn’t relying on that money, anyway. The part she was having trouble with was staying in the house for two months. How was she supposed to work and keep her life all while staying on Miller’s Island?
“I’m sorry, what?”
