“Maybe.” She stilled her nerves which were agitated from the collision. “A certified letter came for me today from a law firm. Rachel left it in her office for me.”
“Do you know what it’s in regard to?”
“No, but I doubt it’s anything good.”
“Want me to stay with you?” His eyes remained on her. “I might not be able to help with whatever’s in there, but I can be a friend.”
“Would you?” She wetted her lips. “I’ve come so far. What if the letter’s content sets me back?”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “You’ll figure out who to deal with it and move forward. You’re the strongest woman I know.”
His high praise brought a second round of pink to her cheeks. “I’ll get it now.”
“Do you want to take it to my office?”
Not trusting herself to answer, she nodded. She ducked into Rachel’s office and found the letter where Rachel said it would be. It may as well have been poison for the way her heart raced immediately upon touching it.I’m probably overreacting.
She followed Carl to his office. Hope came to her side with an excited smile. She nudged her head against Luna’s hand, begging for attention. Two months after first finding the dog on the road, Luna couldn’t be more pleased with Hope’s progress. She’d started to play with toys, was fully housebroken, and was rapidly growing. Her peripheral vision was abnormal, but it didn’t slow her down.
Luna scratched under Hope’s jaw. “What bone do you have today?”
When Hope heard“bone” she ran to her bed and bit into a nylon bone Carl had given her for Christmas. She dropped it at Luna’s feet.
“We’ll go outside and play fetch before you leave today, okay? There’s not enough room in here.”
Hope stared at her with a hopeful expression. Some words she understood, others she did not.
Carl tossed the bone back to Hope’s bed, and the pup scampered to get it, then laid down and proceeded to chew on it. “You can take my chair.”
She wouldn’t normally, but her legs had turned into cooked spaghetti. She sank into his cheap fabric seat and stared at the envelope. “Would you read it for me?”
“I…” He trailed off without answering.
“Please.” She held it out for him.
Several seconds passed before he took it. He slid a finger to break the seal, and then pulled out a packet of folded papers. His head moved, though barely noticeable, as he skimmed the letter.
She watched his face carefully for any clue. “What does it say?”
“Read it for yourself.” He handed her the letter with a smile on his face.
Too curious to read it in full, she skimmed it first. “Is this for real?”
“It appears legitimate. I can check the law firm for you if you’d like.”
She started from the beginning and soaked in each word. Manny had stashed money in a secret bank account—a substantial amount of money. Even after the government had taken their share of owed taxes and attorney’s fees had been paid, there remained a nice chunk of money. As his legal wife at the time of death, the balance went to her.
The final page was a check for the full amount. She blinked in disbelief. “This is surreal.”
“It’s a blessing.” Carl leaned against the wall with his arms crossed loosely over his chest.
A burst of rage erupted inside of her. She jumped up and threw the papers on the desk. “I don’t want it.”
“Huh?” Confusion raked Carl’s face.
“I can make it without any help from Manny, even from the grave.” Her voice reached a fever pitch. “For years I struggled with money. I had to beg him for a few dollars just so I could get diapers for the girls. He never bought them anything other than bare necessities, and even then, I often had to hit up food banks and outreach stores. Whenever I asked about money, he said living was expensive.”
Angry tears burned her eyes, but she wasn’t done exploding. Her body convulsed with fury. “I lived a pauper’s life, except when he wanted to show me off to his friends. But you know what, I survived. Without. His. Money. In a few months, I’ll have enough saved to rent an apartment, with money I earned. They can throw his money in his grave with him for all I care.”
