I read the phone number, email, and address that was listed on his business card before looking up at him. I had it memorized.
“You, my friend, are hard to find. I’ve been looking for you for over two years,” he said. “My apologies; let me introduce myself. I’m Jeffrey Arnold. I’m an attorney for estate planning. Your mother had me looking for you—”
I shook my head and tossed his card on the table beside me.
“I’m not interested,” I began.
“No, you misunderstand. I’m not trying to sell you anything—”
“I haven’t spoken to my mom for years.”
“I know. She said you ran off with some guy. You basically fell off the face of the earth. She was in my office to do her estate planning years ago. You were in middle school at the time. Anyhow, she left everything to you, and I’ve been trying to find you for a few years so you can claim your inheritance.”
My inheritance?
Why would he be here to get me to collect on my …oh fuck. Was my mom dead?
“I don’t understand,” I started, and then tears started to fall. “Is my mom … dead?”
I could tell by his expression and how fast he paled that he thought that I knew. I began to panic, and the heart monitor went crazy.
“I’m terribly sorry, Brandon. I thought you knew,” he said.
“I haven’t been in touch with anything for three years!” I choked and gasped, trying to get air. A nurse rushed in and tried to get me to focus on breathing, but I couldn’t control my breathing at all. “What happened?” I asked Jeffrey.
“Brandon, please settle down,” the nurse said and then turned to look at Jeffrey. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. He needs to calm down.”
“No, please,” I said. “I need to know,” I begged.
“She overdosed on cocaine at a party two years ago. I’m sorry, Brandon.”
“What’s going on?” James’ voice filled the room.
James!
I looked at him and silently begged him to help me. He rushed over but kept his eyes on Jeffrey. James sat down on the bed and wrapped his arm around me, which only made the tears continue to fall.
“I asked him to leave, Dr. Brooks,” I nurse explained to James. “This man came in and upset him, and Brandon’s heart monitor triggered an alarm at the station.”
“Leave now before I call security,” James sternly told Jeffrey.
Jeffrey nodded and looked at me.
“I’m sorry, Brandon,” Jeffrey apologized before he left.
While I leaned against James’ shoulder and chest, I could feel myself slowly regaining control of my breathing. James gently rubbed my right shoulder and told me to focus on breathing and exhaling slowly.
“Please ensure that there is a flag in place in the system now regarding visitors for Brandon. He’s to have none without Dr. Chisholm or myself present; is that clear?” James asked the nurse.
“Yes, of course. I’ll put the flag in place now,” the nurse confirmed before she left.
A few minutes later Dr. Chisholm came in and went directly to my heart monitor.
“I heard we had some excitement going on,” he said.
James picked up the business card and gave it to Dr. Chisholm.
“What did he want, Brandon,” James asked me quietly.
