children, and their children to live quite comfortably.” He fumbled in his brief case and slid another paper in front of me. “Stocks,” he said quickly. That was a subject I knew nothing about. I glanced at the paper anyway. My eyes must have bulged when I saw what was written. It was Aunt Estelle’s handwriting, no doubt, and for the next fifty years it had ‘predictions’ of when and what stock to pull or invest.
“Why me?” Not that I wasn’t grateful, I was, but this didn’t make sense. Certainly Aunt Estelle had someone closer to have left her millions to.
“Your aunt was very fond of you.” He dove into his brief case again. “In fact, she wrote you this.” He slid an envelope across the table. My name was written in the center in tiny cursive that I recognized at once. I grabbed it and flipped it over. A wax seal kept the envelope closed, and pressed into the wax was the same weird symbol that was on the dagger and the pendants I got for my birthday
My dearest Anora,
Unfortunately, if you are reading this, I have gone into the Otherworld. Even more unfortunate is the fact that you are reading this particular letter. This means that I never had the chance to tell you anything and everything. Please don’t be angry with me, my dear. I did it with the best intentions. I wanted a good life for you, and from what I’ve seen, you have had one so far. I should have visited, but again, I thought it would be best to keep some distance. I may be dead, but in time I will tell you everything.
I’m sure you have already met James. He’s a bit of a coward, but you can trust him. He will assist you with all of the legal doings that neither you nor I know anything about. If you need anything, tell him and he will gladly do what he can.
Know that I love you and that you have and will make me proud. You are an amazing and strong woman. There is nothing you cannot do. Never let anything hold you down.
Love Always,
Estelle
Ok…I didn’t know what to make of that. It was cryptic and flattering. Before I could mull it over, James had more papers to carefully push in front of me.
“Your aunt hasn’t lived in the house for over a decade, but I assure you it is in good condition. She has paid special attention that it, uh, be, um, well preserved. In fact, over the last two years, almost everything has been updated.”
“Is the house old?”
“Quite. It was built in 1903.”
The bell that signaled the end of fourth period rang. James didn’t seem to have any intentions of letting me go to lunch.
“When is her funeral?”
“It was your aunt’s wishes to not have one. Her body was cremated immediately after she died.”
“Oh. When did she die?” I didn’t feel like myself. This was all so overwhelming. I felt like I was floating or underwater or something. My mind was disoriented.
“She slipped into a coma last Friday evening. She died early Saturday morning.”
“Does my mom know?”
James looked at me as if that was a completely irrelevant question.
“It was her aunt,” I clarified.
“Ah, yes. And no, you are the only one I was told to inform.”
Neither of us said anything for a moment. The silence was awkward. Another bell rang. Lunch had started.
“So where exactly is this house? I know she lived in Indiana, but that’s it.”
James got out a map. Man, he had everything in that briefcase. He unfolded a map of Indiana. Up in the left, top corner was a star.
“Northwest Indiana.” He pointed at the star, as if I couldn’t figure out that was what I was supposed to look at. “The mailing address if for Paradise Valley, but the house is out of city limits.” He pointed to another spot on the map, north of the star. There were more roads around this area. “This is it. There’s even a University. You’re not too far from Chicago, and you’re even closer to Lake Michigan.”
“Oh,” was all I could think to say.
“Your aunt also had me make arrangements for you to
“Why me?” Not that I wasn’t grateful, I was, but this didn’t make sense. Certainly Aunt Estelle had someone closer to have left her millions to.
“Your aunt was very fond of you.” He dove into his brief case again. “In fact, she wrote you this.” He slid an envelope across the table. My name was written in the center in tiny cursive that I recognized at once. I grabbed it and flipped it over. A wax seal kept the envelope closed, and pressed into the wax was the same weird symbol that was on the dagger and the pendants I got for my birthday
My dearest Anora,
Unfortunately, if you are reading this, I have gone into the Otherworld. Even more unfortunate is the fact that you are reading this particular letter. This means that I never had the chance to tell you anything and everything. Please don’t be angry with me, my dear. I did it with the best intentions. I wanted a good life for you, and from what I’ve seen, you have had one so far. I should have visited, but again, I thought it would be best to keep some distance. I may be dead, but in time I will tell you everything.
I’m sure you have already met James. He’s a bit of a coward, but you can trust him. He will assist you with all of the legal doings that neither you nor I know anything about. If you need anything, tell him and he will gladly do what he can.
Know that I love you and that you have and will make me proud. You are an amazing and strong woman. There is nothing you cannot do. Never let anything hold you down.
Love Always,
Estelle
Ok…I didn’t know what to make of that. It was cryptic and flattering. Before I could mull it over, James had more papers to carefully push in front of me.
“Your aunt hasn’t lived in the house for over a decade, but I assure you it is in good condition. She has paid special attention that it, uh, be, um, well preserved. In fact, over the last two years, almost everything has been updated.”
“Is the house old?”
“Quite. It was built in 1903.”
The bell that signaled the end of fourth period rang. James didn’t seem to have any intentions of letting me go to lunch.
“When is her funeral?”
“It was your aunt’s wishes to not have one. Her body was cremated immediately after she died.”
“Oh. When did she die?” I didn’t feel like myself. This was all so overwhelming. I felt like I was floating or underwater or something. My mind was disoriented.
“She slipped into a coma last Friday evening. She died early Saturday morning.”
“Does my mom know?”
James looked at me as if that was a completely irrelevant question.
“It was her aunt,” I clarified.
“Ah, yes. And no, you are the only one I was told to inform.”
Neither of us said anything for a moment. The silence was awkward. Another bell rang. Lunch had started.
“So where exactly is this house? I know she lived in Indiana, but that’s it.”
James got out a map. Man, he had everything in that briefcase. He unfolded a map of Indiana. Up in the left, top corner was a star.
“Northwest Indiana.” He pointed at the star, as if I couldn’t figure out that was what I was supposed to look at. “The mailing address if for Paradise Valley, but the house is out of city limits.” He pointed to another spot on the map, north of the star. There were more roads around this area. “This is it. There’s even a University. You’re not too far from Chicago, and you’re even closer to Lake Michigan.”
“Oh,” was all I could think to say.
“Your aunt also had me make arrangements for you to
Similar Books
