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After my first shower that week and getting on what I would call court clothes, they weren’t much different than funeral clothes just with lighter colors, I met Edith at her car. I got in the passenger seat and waited. She got in and got comfortable which I didn’t believe was possible in this tiny Prius. We drove down the long driveway in silence. I waved at the guard as we drove through the gate. Edith said “How are you feeling?” I shook my head a little bit and said “I’m ok, a little nervous about this. I hate driving into the city.” She said “Your mother’s funeral is tomorrow you know. Are you planning on attending?” I chewed on that for a minute. I knew that eventually that was going to come up but I am not willing to go to another huge event. I asked “How many people did you invite?” She replied “Well not many, it will be a more intimate ordeal. I was hoping that would make it easier for you.” “Thank you Edith, I really appreciate that, I suppose I will come.” Then we fell into silence for the rest of the trip. I thought about mother and the way she looked in my dreams the night before. It was the only thing I could remember clearly, she was so beautiful, even in death.
We drove into Baltimore, I watched as the country became the city and watched the slums fly by again. I know someday I will have fun there, but now isn’t for daydreaming, I had to prepare myself for whatever was going to happen at the lawyers office. I watched as we drove past the slums and into the city. We go off in the heart of the city and drove through the streets. I looked up at the huge skyscrapers and imagined what would happen to a person’s body if they jumped from up there. I could see the impact in my mind in slow motion. The organs liquefying and the bones shattering.
We pulled into a parking garage next to one of the huge skyscrapers. Edith said “His office is at the very top, the view is amazing.” I smiled and got out of the car. We walked across the pathway that divided the parking garage and the building and into the lobby. There were tons of people, everyone moving around and not paying attention to each other. It seemed like nobody cared about anyone else. We walked over to the row of elevators, ten on each side of the walkway. Edith pushed the up button and we waited. I watched people in business suits pile in and out of elevator after elevator. It was incredible how many people walked by each other without even a greeting. This world was cold, I loved it. The elevator in front of us dinged and the doors slid open. People rushed out like they had somewhere they had to be five minutes ago and were late.
The elevator ride was long and almost as quiet as the drive over here if it wasn’t for the racket of elevator music. It stopped a few times to let people on and for those people to get off. A twenty something young man sweating profusely, I thought he must be going for a interview. I was leaning in the corner when a young lady got on the elevator. I looked up after the door closed and her back was facing me. Could it be? She looked just like Jennifer from the back. Her hair was the same color and length, and her ass was perfect. I reached up and grabbed her arm. She swung around fast. Smiling ear to ear I was expecting to see Jennifer but instead all I saw was a confused young lady that definitely was not Jennifer. I said “Oh my, Im so sorry, I thought you looked like someone I knew.” Her confusion melted away and she smiled at me and said “Its ok honey.” I looked over to Edith and I could see the question in her eyes “What the hell was that?” I mouthed silently “Nothing, don’t worry about it.” She nodded but still looked curious.
When we finally reached the top, the 62nd floor, the doors slid open into a beautiful waiting room. We walked across the floor to the desk and Edith spoke to the receptionist. I was there but paying no attention. My mind was on Jennifer. Edith grabbed my shoulder and directed me through a big glass door into a long hallway. She whispered to me “Where are you Michael? It seems like you keep spacing out.” I said “I’m ok Edith, let’s just get this over with.” The receptionist led us down the long hallway to the very end. On the opaque glass door there was an inscription, it just read Jason Wainright. The receptionist opened the door and announced us. As I walked past her I felt my jaw drop open. The office was beautiful and in a corner. It was solid glass windows on two sides and the glass was so immaculate that it almost didn’t even seem like it was there. There was a huge executive desk in the corner facing the doorway. Sitting at the desk was a very professional looking gentleman in his late forty’s? The other two walls were full of book cases with every book you could imagine on the law. There were few knickknacks but my eyes landed on what looked like a huge rabbit’s foot in a glass case on Mr. Wainrights desk. I walked over and saw that it looked a lot like mine. I reached up and touched mine through my shirt. The well-dressed man behind the desk must have noticed my gaze because he stood up and said “You must be Michael. That was a gift from your father.” I shook the cloudiness from my mind and looked at the man. He stuck out his hand and said “I’m Jason, me and your father have been friends for about twenty years.” I reached forward and grabbed his hand shaking it firmly. He said “Have a seat, would you like me to have Edith step out?” I said “No, absolutely not, she is part of the family.” I saw a nice smile on Edith’s face. That one was for good measure, I want her to feel like part of the family. Jason said “Very well, let’s get to it.” I nodded “Lets.” Jason said “So your mother had just inherited your father’s entire fortune recently. She was a good woman and she was very concerned for your wellbeing. She spent a lot of time finding Edith to take care of you. It turns out that her plan was for Edith to become your Legal Guardian, as long as that settled well with Edith.” Edith nodded approval, I stopped him and said “Then mother knew that she wanted to commit suicide that long ago?” Jason said “That’s how it seems. You will also inherit everything that was your fathers and your mothers. That includes the vacation homes in France and Germany.” I didn’t even know we had vacation homes. This was all so shocking. He went on “The money will be put into a trust fund until you turn eighteen. In the meantime the bills will be taken care of and a monthly allowance will be sent to Edith in the amount of $5000. To be spent on anything that suits you.” There were a lot of other things about cars and boats but I didn’t really listen too much of it. Then I heard Jason say “Well, that’s all of it, it looks like the two of you are set for life.” He stood up and said that a lot of the info would be sent via mail to Edith and that the first check will arrive in the mail in about a month.
We stood to leave and Jason came around the desk. He looked at me and said “Your father was a great man, your mom was an amazing woman. I am very sorry for what happened and if you ever need anything in my line call me any time.” I thanked him and flashed him a smile. I hope he got the message, it was pretty clear by the look on my face “I’ll call you if I need help, otherwise you will never hear from me again.” I tried to let everything sink in on the long elevator ride and walk back to the car.
During the drive home Edith spoke up and said “So, how do you feel about all of that?” “Well, it looks like you’re my new mommy.” I said kind of sarcastically. She picked up on it and didn’t take any offense. “You’re a good kid Michael, I would be proud to stay with you until you go off to college.” I said “Thank you Edith, I think we will be just fine, let’s get passed this funeral and try to start fresh.” I could feel it coming, there was something big getting ready to happen. I heard my voice in my head say “Keep building that trust, you’ll love what happens, it’s so much fun.” I smiled and rested my head against the window.
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