“No, nothing new. But I was wondering if you’d had a chance to speak to your father yet?”
He straightens, his expression darkening. “Summer, you’rekidding. Was I supposed to have raised the topic before my mother’smemorialservice?”
I can hardly blame him for being irritated. It was a stupid excuse for asking to see him, I know. Time to switch gears.
“No, of course not. I’m sorry. I just hate keeping secrets from Gabe. And... there’s other crap going on here, too.”
“Like what?”
“That poem Hannah read? That was the oneIwas planning on reading. I had to come up with my remarks as I walked to the front.”
“Christ, Summer, that’s crazy. You pulled it off, though.”
“Thanks, but I’m still reeling a little.... What do youreallythink of her, Marcus?”
“Who?”
“Who?Hannah.”
He gives a shrug that smacks of studied nonchalance. “As I told you before, I hardly know the woman.”
“But you dated her. Do you think she could be dangerous for Nick?”
“You mean is she a massive bitch? A gold digger? I have no idea. Nick will have to figure that one out for himself.”
Had I really thought that he’d suddenly share his honest feelings with me?
“Okay, sorry to bother you. See you at the meeting.”
“Sure.” He touches my arm as I turn to go. “Summer, sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so abrupt. But I’ve been going over the same ground again and again with Keira. Hannah and I dated for a couple forgettable weeks, ages ago, and there was nothing to it.”
“Got it,” I say, feeling deflated from the complete wasteof time and energy—and the fact that there’s no one in the world I can count on for support right now.
By the time I detour to the kitchen to speak with Bonnie and then return to the cottage, it’s way later than I’d realized, but Gabe doesn’t seem to notice. As we’re walking over to the house together, with Henry trudging behind us, I’m tempted to slip my hand into my husband’s and give it a squeeze, but I don’t. Though I want to be in sync with him again, want to comfort him, it’s hard to forget how dismissive he was an hour ago.
After dropping Henry in the kitchen, we make our way to the living room, right on time but the last to arrive. Like Gabe, his brothers are still in their clothes from the service, as if preferring not to look too casual. I take a seat on the sofa next to Wendy, who’s gotten the color back in her cheeks, and Gabe settles next to me on the other side.
“How are you doing?” I whisper to Wendy. I’m a little surprised she felt up to attending the meeting.
“Still no bleeding, so I think I’m okay,” she whispers back.
Before I can respond, Ash crosses to the doorway of the study, pokes his head in, and announces, “We’re ready.”
Based on my sense of estate lawyers, I’m expecting some avuncular-type male with white hair and a barrel chest, but the person who emerges is female, Black, and probably in her midforties.
“Everyone, meet Letena Smith,” Ash says. “Letena’s been helping with our estate planning for a number of years now.”
After setting a folder down on the card table, Letena moves around the room, graciously introducing herself to us one by one. Her hair is short and wavy, and she’s wearing a killer navy pantsuit that I assume is Armani, but I hardly have the firsthand experience to know for sure.
“Let me begin by saying how sorry I am for your loss,” Letena says, returning to where Ash is standing. “Claire was an amazing, accomplished woman as well as a devoted wife and mother, and I know it’s tough for you to be doing this so soon after her passing. But Ash felt we should get the proceedings out of the way so life could go on.
“This will be brief,” she continues. “And it’s all very straightforward.” She takes a moment to step back toward the table and withdraw a sheet of paper from the folder, then scans it quickly. “The bulk of your mother’s half of your parents’ financial assets will be held in trust for your father. As you’ve been informed in the past, upon your father’s death, the assets in that trust will go to you—Blake, Gabriel, Marcus, and Nicolas—along with your father’s share of assets. But a few months ago, your mother decided to update the will with a new provision in case she predeceased your father. She wanted to leave each of you an immediate financial gift to be used however you wish.”
She pauses. People straighten in surprise. I have no clue where this is going.
“Claire,” she says, “bequeathed each of you the sum of one million dollars.”
19
