In all other respects, I confirm and republish my Last Will and Testament as previously executed.
Tessa stared at it. “What…does this mean?”
“That my dad wanted the property to be shared by Lawsons and Wylies.”
As they sat in a second of silence to digest, the heavy room door opened.
“I brought a surprise,” Dusty called out.
“Oh, Maggie’s here, Mom,” Kate said.
“Mags.” Jo Ellen sounded weak but happy. She was about to be a whole heck of a lot happier. “We heard you don’t trust the hospital.”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
The conversation drifted in, barely audible over Tessa’s pumping heart as she and Vivien stared at each other in shock.
“Youownthe house with us,” Vivien said in a hushed whisper. “That’s what it says.”
She shook her head. “How is that possible? How could Maggie have not known?”
“I don’t know, but let’s ask her.” Vivien started out, but Tessa grabbed her arm.
“Wait. Wait. I have to think about what this means.”
“Whatwhatmeans?” Dusty stepped into the room, searching the scene with curiosity.
“This.” Vivien handed it to him. “This tiny bit of life-changing news.”
Dusty skimmed the page while Tessa tried to calm her heart. Then he looked up with a glint in his eyes she hadn’t seen since…well, since the night they tore out of the cemetery with Olive.
“Tessa,” he whispered.
“What?”
“You have a home. Youown a home.”
“Do I? Is that what it means? Is it legal? Is it real?”
“Let’s find out.” He shoved the paper back into Vivien’s hands and took a step backwards. “I’m calling Lynda.”
Without another word, he pivoted and shot out the door to the hall.
For a moment, she just stood there, using the counter to prop her up, her breath stuck in her lungs. Was it poss?—
“Come on, come on. Grab that diary.” Vivien pulled her toward the room. “Everyone needs to see this!”
She said it loud enough that they all looked when Vivien and Tessa walked into the room.
“Eli,” Tessa whispered to Vivien. “Give it to Eli first.”
As she did, Vivien said, “We just found this hidden in my last diary.”
Eli looked confused, then looked down, touching his breast pocket for glasses and then realizing he had on a T-shirt. Kate snagged them from the table.
“For once,I’mgivingyouglasses,” she joked.
He smiled at her and put them on, his jaw going slack as he read. Then he eased the paper over for Kate to read. She leaned closer, read the words with typical lightning speed and gasped.
