Karolina's Twins by Ronald H. Balson Page A

son?”
    â€œIt’s about the money.”
    â€œNo shit, Liam.” Catherine stormed into the kitchen and started to rattle the pots and pans.
    â€œWhat are you doing, Cat?”
    â€œMaking pasta!” she snapped. “So I can gain another four pounds!”
    He walked up behind her, put his arms around her and kissed her on the neck. “Come on, put the pots down. Don’t let that jerk get under your skin. I’ll take you to Sorrento’s.”
    She turned around and looked up into Liam’s eyes. “She’s such a sweet, courageous woman.” She shook her head. “We’ll have to meet with him, you know. I don’t want him running into court and filing some scathing petition accusing her of dementia.”
    â€œYou know how this will go. We’ll meet with him. It’ll get nasty. He’ll demand you stop seeing Arthur’s mother. You’ll refuse. And at that point he’ll hand you a petition that he’s already drafted and tell you he’s going to file it the next day.”
    Catherine nodded. “Right. And at that moment, I want you to punch him in the face.”
    Liam smiled. “I love the way you negotiate.”
    As they walked to the car, Catherine said, ‘I’ve already set up a meeting with Lena for tomorrow at noon and I’m sure it will take the entire afternoon. Tell Shirley we’ll meet with him on Thursday.”

 
    T EN
    â€œL ENA, BEFORE WE GET started, I have to advise you that Arthur’s attorney has requested a meeting with me.”
    Lena sat with her hands folded in her lap. Her posture erect. As always, she was smartly dressed, this day in a tweed suit, white blouse and contrasting silk scarf. Her makeup was deftly applied and her hair was fashionably styled.
    â€œHe has scolded me for coming here and demanded that I cease seeing you,” she replied. “What is your position? Will you meet with his attorney?”
    â€œI’m your lawyer, Lena. I’ll do whatever you ask. But I have to tell you, Arthur’s hired a very aggressive firm. If I don’t meet with Mr. Shirley, he may up the ante.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œI’m not sure. He’s intimated that he might petition the court to appoint a guardian.”
    â€œA guardian for what? On what basis?”
    â€œI don’t know for sure, but I suspect he’ll claim that because of your advancing age, you’re no longer able to take care of yourself or make decisions concerning your property.”
    â€œWhat nonsense! There’s no truth to such a claim.”
    â€œI know that. Do you think Arthur would go ahead with it?”
    â€œArthur is very headstrong. He’s a controlling person, especially since my husband died. There’s distance between Arthur and me. I don’t know what he’d do to maintain control.” She paused. “Could he succeed? I’m eighty-nine years old.”
    â€œYour age is not determinative. He would need medical proof, from professionals, not just his opinion. Can I ask you a personal question? Do you regularly see any doctors?”
    â€œI see a rheumatologist for my arthritis, I see my cardiologist twice a year and my regular physician twice a year. I also regularly see my dentist— do you want to know that as well?”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry but…”
    â€œI don’t see any psychiatrists or psychologists. I don’t see any geriatric specialists.” She looked straight into Catherine’s eyes. “And I’m not senile. I’ve got all my wits. I haven’t misplaced a single wit.”
    â€œI believe you, but if he subpoenaed your medical records, your chart, your doctors’ notes, would they reveal any discussions between you and your doctors about forgetfulness or memory problems?”
    â€œWhen you get to be my age, it’s a subject that comes up regularly at checkups. They’re