I didn’t care for it.
Where the fuck was Nikolai? And why had he just upped and left without so much as a word?
I shut the door behind me into the theater room, and growled as I threw myself onto the sofa. After starting up the screen I scrolled through Netflix. I knew exactly what I was looking for but wasn’t sure how to find it on the techy remote.
About halfway through the second episode of Gilmore Girls, I stabbed at the pause button. The doorbell was ringing, I thought I’d heard something. I sat patiently for a few minutes waiting for someone to answer it. When it rang for the third time, I stood up with a huff. Where the hell was everyone?
I supposed, since I was up, it was as good a time as any to make some popcorn. I already knew Nikolai had a bag stashed in the back of the pantry. I didn’t know why the bag seemed so hidden, like a bad secret that no one needed to know about. Popcorn was something to be front and center, to be shown off like a six-pack.
I swung open the door desperate to stop its incessant chimes. Immediately I wished I hadn’t, I should’ve just let it ring - turned the volume up and pretended no one was home. And since I was the one answering the door, I knew that was a very possible scenario.
“What?” I spat at the man in his crisp suit clutching his briefcase. The man that now filled the porch was one I’d never wanted to see again - the lawyer that delivered the news of Aunt Carols’ passing. My sudden burst of anger had rung true in my bark, maybe a little too true. The man looked like he was almost about to wet himself.
Good, I thought, at least someone had an appreciation for my fiery streak. Apparently my anger only caused Nikolai amusement, obviously not my desired effect.
“Well, come on. What the hell do you want? If you’ve come to ruin my day, I’m sorry to tell you but you’re all out of luck, I have no more relatives left to die.” Halfway through my sentence, I felt Nikolai step up behind me. Too close. Having said what needed to be said, I turned to Nikolai.
“Next time, get off your fat ass and answer your own fucking door.” I sidestepped him before he could respond. We both knew that his ass was the furthest thing from fat but I wasn’t going to admit that, that would lead to a very dangerous spiral on my part. He definitely did not need to know that, yes I had checked out his ass… more than once - it was a damn fine ass.
“Mi...Miss Exley? I need to speak with you.”
I turned, dangerously slow and raised an eyebrow. “Well, speak.”
“I, I, I think maybe it’d be best if we sit.”
“Hello there, Mr Sumner. I’m so sorry about Anastasia’s manners, as you can imagine she’s going through a hard time at the minute. Don’t worry, she’s all bark. Won’t you come in? I’ll have Heather make us something.” I watched on with mouth agape as Nikolai showed the lawyer in. He closed the door and discreetly caught my eye from across the room. The look he sent me clearly said he was not impressed. Well, ditto.
‘All bark’ he had said. Oh, I would’ve loved to have shown him my bite at that moment, but we had company - and that definitely wouldn’t have been appropriate, the old geezer might’ve just dropped dead of a heart attack. With a reluctant sigh, I followed Nikolai into the living room.
“Mr Sumner, would you like a cup of tea?” Nikolai asked as we all took our seats, with me taking the seat furthest away. Despite the apparent need for me to be a part of the conversation I also couldn’t defy the urge to be away from the both of them.
Mr Sumner looked up to Nikolai and then over to me before clearing his throat. “No, thank you. I have other business to attend to, so I’d prefer to just dive right into why I’m here.”
“You sounded urgent on the phone. Is there something wrong?” Nikolai’s face took on a look of concern. It was something that I hadn’t expected to see take over his usual stone-cold exterior.
On the phone?The bastard had invited him round. And had given me no warning whatsoever.
“No, of course not. This is routine, I am here to read out Carol Exley’s will.” My ears must have perked up as they both looked over at me, Mr Sumner asked, “You have a question?”
“No, you can continue.” I already knew that my aunt would have left everything to me, this was all a formality, but to hear it…was I ready? It didn’t seem real.
“The house, and its contents, is to be left to Anastasia Exley. The 1988 Ford Mustang is to be left to Anastasia Exley. The accounts were cleaned out and closed months ago. The only thing left is your aunt’s car, it will be repossessed by the dealer as it’s not been paid off.” The accounts being cleaned out made me pause. Months ago…my father only passed away less than two months ago. That didn’t make sense, what could he have possibly needed that money for.
“I’m sorry to sound insensitive but, when were the bank accounts closed?”
“I don’t have a way of knowing the exact date, but I was informed of the change, at least three months ago.” I kept my head down to avoid eye contact with Nik. I had no idea why this struck me as odd and until I did, I didn’t want him involved. It could’ve just been a coincidence. My father cleaned out all of our bank accounts shortly before he was murdered...? It seemed suspicious to me.
“Carol also left you a letter, I was instructed to give it to you upon her death.” He handed over a cream envelope, my hands shook as I reached for it. I settled it in my lap as Sumner took his leave. “I’m deeply sorry for your loss.”
I remembered nodding and hearing the door close but my head was elsewhere, in the clouds. I wondered what was in the letter. What would be her final words to me?
The letter sat on the kitchen bench all day. I’d wanted to open it in the privacy of my room but I didn’t want Nikolai to see my impatience. So, I waited until he returned to his office before rushing up the stairs.
I took a seat in the chair by the window, the very one that I’d thrown across the room my first day here. I laid the envelope on my knees and took a good long look at it. I was scared. I didn’t want to hear her last words, because they would forever be her last words. Her final goodbye. I couldn’t imagine what else she’d have to say that she hadn’t said while she was alive, but this was it.
My aunt wrote these words specifically for me in the event of her death. Had she known she was going to die? Or was this just her being cautious? I hated to think that she planned this because she knew her demise was imminent. That had to be the scariest thought.
Was I being dramatic? Probably. Did I give a shit? Not at all. I wouldn’t rush this. I’d allow myself all the time I needed.
