it based on the language in the trust document. He wished he understood it better.
“Hello, Mother.” He chose to lie in order to avoid a long conversation. “You caught me just as I was headed out the door.”
“Your father has business in Milwaukee on Thursday, and I was thinking of having him drop me off in Lake Geneva so we could visit.”
He wondered what “visit” meant in terms of content and duration but was afraid to ask. “What time on Thursday?”
“We would get an early start and arrive around ten, ten-thirty. Then your father will go on to his business and be home later that evening. We would head back home early Friday morning. How does that sound?”
Lee tried to do the math in his head as to how many hours that meant for their visit, during which time he would have no place to escape. “Sure, Mother. That would be fine.”
After hanging up, Lee reviewed the terms and conditions of the trust, which now confused him even more. He wasn’t sure if he could tell anyone he was thinking of building a house on the land. His parents coming to visit only compounded the situation.
Telling them he didn’t have a plan wouldn’t go over very well. He supposed he could concoct a phony plan just to appease them. But then he’d have to keep building on it, and he didn’t know how long he could keep that up. Or he could always tell them the truth, and then when Stonebugger found out about it, he’d lose everything. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with any of this anymore. He wished that thought would stop provoking him.
* * *
Despite not having gotten much sleep for several nights, Lee managed to feign reasonably good spirits when his parents arrived two days later, something he unfortunately had had a lot of practice doing when living with them. Luckily, his father left within ten minutes of arriving.
“Shaneta is making us some tea, Mother. Why don’t you get settled in your bedroom and then join me in the sunroom?” His take-charge conduct, albeit small by other people’s standards, stunned him.
“Make sure it’s herbal, dear,” his mother said.
“Of course, Mother.” Everyone who had ever worked under the rule of Abigale Sedgwick Winekoop was well aware she would drink nothing but herbal tea.
Ten minutes later, she joined Lee in the sunroom. “So, Lee, how have you been?”
“I’ve been fine. And you?”
“Tell me what you have been doing with yourself these days.”
“Oh, a little of this, little of that. Getting to know this area better to see if this is where I want to settle down.”
“Settle down?”
“Mm-hm.” Here it comes.
His mother had a habit of sitting so straight in her chair, Lee worried that one day her body might freeze in that position. Today was no exception. “And what are you planning to do to settle down?”
“I’m not sure. I was thinking of maybe building a house for myself.”
“Well, it is true you can’t stay here indefinitely.”
The comment took him by surprise. It didn’t sound offhanded—it sounded as if it may have been something she and his father had discussed.
“Yes, I know. There are a few towns just south of here, some in Wisconsin and some in Illinois, that seem nice. Are you familiar with any of the neighboring towns?”
“No, dear. I can’t say I am.” A watery smile crossed her face. “I think Uncle Nelson owned a parcel of land somewhere around here. I wonder what happened to it after he died. I don’t recall seeing it in his will.”
“No?”
“Maybe he sold it. He owned so much. I couldn’t keep track of everything.”
Lee hoped she didn’t notice his chest heaving.
They sipped their tea in stony silence for several moments before she said, “And then what?”
“And then what, what?”
“Let’s say you find a nice piece of property and build a house on it. Then what?”
“Please, Mother, wouldn’t that alone be enough of an accomplishment to tide me over for a little while? You wouldn’t want me
“Hello, Mother.” He chose to lie in order to avoid a long conversation. “You caught me just as I was headed out the door.”
“Your father has business in Milwaukee on Thursday, and I was thinking of having him drop me off in Lake Geneva so we could visit.”
He wondered what “visit” meant in terms of content and duration but was afraid to ask. “What time on Thursday?”
“We would get an early start and arrive around ten, ten-thirty. Then your father will go on to his business and be home later that evening. We would head back home early Friday morning. How does that sound?”
Lee tried to do the math in his head as to how many hours that meant for their visit, during which time he would have no place to escape. “Sure, Mother. That would be fine.”
After hanging up, Lee reviewed the terms and conditions of the trust, which now confused him even more. He wasn’t sure if he could tell anyone he was thinking of building a house on the land. His parents coming to visit only compounded the situation.
Telling them he didn’t have a plan wouldn’t go over very well. He supposed he could concoct a phony plan just to appease them. But then he’d have to keep building on it, and he didn’t know how long he could keep that up. Or he could always tell them the truth, and then when Stonebugger found out about it, he’d lose everything. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with any of this anymore. He wished that thought would stop provoking him.
* * *
Despite not having gotten much sleep for several nights, Lee managed to feign reasonably good spirits when his parents arrived two days later, something he unfortunately had had a lot of practice doing when living with them. Luckily, his father left within ten minutes of arriving.
“Shaneta is making us some tea, Mother. Why don’t you get settled in your bedroom and then join me in the sunroom?” His take-charge conduct, albeit small by other people’s standards, stunned him.
“Make sure it’s herbal, dear,” his mother said.
“Of course, Mother.” Everyone who had ever worked under the rule of Abigale Sedgwick Winekoop was well aware she would drink nothing but herbal tea.
Ten minutes later, she joined Lee in the sunroom. “So, Lee, how have you been?”
“I’ve been fine. And you?”
“Tell me what you have been doing with yourself these days.”
“Oh, a little of this, little of that. Getting to know this area better to see if this is where I want to settle down.”
“Settle down?”
“Mm-hm.” Here it comes.
His mother had a habit of sitting so straight in her chair, Lee worried that one day her body might freeze in that position. Today was no exception. “And what are you planning to do to settle down?”
“I’m not sure. I was thinking of maybe building a house for myself.”
“Well, it is true you can’t stay here indefinitely.”
The comment took him by surprise. It didn’t sound offhanded—it sounded as if it may have been something she and his father had discussed.
“Yes, I know. There are a few towns just south of here, some in Wisconsin and some in Illinois, that seem nice. Are you familiar with any of the neighboring towns?”
“No, dear. I can’t say I am.” A watery smile crossed her face. “I think Uncle Nelson owned a parcel of land somewhere around here. I wonder what happened to it after he died. I don’t recall seeing it in his will.”
“No?”
“Maybe he sold it. He owned so much. I couldn’t keep track of everything.”
Lee hoped she didn’t notice his chest heaving.
They sipped their tea in stony silence for several moments before she said, “And then what?”
“And then what, what?”
“Let’s say you find a nice piece of property and build a house on it. Then what?”
“Please, Mother, wouldn’t that alone be enough of an accomplishment to tide me over for a little while? You wouldn’t want me
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