Page 97 of Crazy for You
“Briefly,” he said. “May I ask how that meeting with her went?”
I hiked a shoulder up to my ear. “It was brief and tense.”
He considered me, his green gaze appraising. “First meetings like that usually are. I’ve seen it many times in my line of work. But maybe when things settle down, you and Ashley can reconnect.”
“Do you know why she gave me up?”
“I only know what’s in the case file, and it’s very thin at best. So no. Besides, it’s not my story to tell.”
I didn’t think he would give me details, but I had to ask. Maybe if I knew ahead of time, it might make it easier to have a conversation with Ashley.
Nan and my aunt came in.
Mr. Wilson set the binder on the table and greeted them. “Please, ladies, have a seat.”
My aunt, who wore a sharp blue suit, sat across from me. I hadn’t seen her since that morning in Dad’s room. She’d been busy with work. I’d learned from Nan that my aunt was working on closing a big corporate account, which kept her tied to her phone and computer. She’d canceled a recent trip to hang back for the funeral, though.
After the introductions, Mr. Wilson started in. “In front of Clara and Skyler is Randall’s trust. Since you’re both named in the trust, you’re entitled to a full copy. However, before we dive into the specifics, I understand, Clara, you would like to relinquish your rights to Skyler. Is that correct?”
Everyone looked at my aunt, who seemed to be fascinated with Dad’s trust. She flipped through the papers as if she was looking for something specific. “Did my brother leave me anything?”
Suddenly, Colton’s words blared in my head:Maybe she’s here for money.She didn’t seem as though she needed money. I would bet the suit she was wearing had cost a pretty penny, and she’d recently been promoted.
“Do you mean money?” I asked.
Nan’s face was distorted. Mine had to have been too.
Aunt Clara moved her finger along the document she was reading.
“Clara,” Nan said. “What’s going on? You’re not changing your mind?”
I held my breath. Surely she didn’t want to ruin her new job for me.
She lifted her chin. “I’m sorry. Randall mentioned to me he had some items that had belonged to our parents that he had outlined in his trust?”
A gush of air rushed from my lungs.
Nan sank in her chair as color returned to her cheeks.
“He did,” Mr. Wilson said. “If you turn to the last page in the section on personal belongings.”
Clara hurried to read that part. When she did, she smiled.
Curiosity had me flipping to that same section. The list included photos of their childhood, a diamond ring that belonged to their mother, an old Rolex watch that had belonged to their dad, and other jewelry and trinkets that I was sure had sentimental and maybe monetary value. What Dad had left her was rightfully hers.
Satisfied with what she’d read, she gave Mr. Wilson her attention. “Again, I apologize. These items are of sentimental value to me. So, yes, I’ll sign over guardianship to Nan.”
I might have been reading too much into it, but I got the feeling that if she didn’t get her parents’ belongings, she wouldn’t have agreed to sign over her rights. I guess it didn’t matter anymore.
Mr. Wilson removed a two-page document from the binder and slid it over to Aunt Clara. “I’ll need your signature at the bottom of the second page. You may read through it, but in a nutshell, it says you are relinquishing guardianship to Nan. This document will be binding, and if the original forms that Randall signed show up in the mail, they will be too. Either way”—he considered Nan—“you will be Skyler’s guardian until her eighteenth birthday. On top of that, Randall has set up a bank account for monthly expenses—house payment, utilities, food, and such. Skyler will also get a Social Security stipend that will help cover anything else. Any questions?”
Nan, Aunt Clara, and I shook our heads.
One less thing to worry about. All I had to do was bury my dad.
40
Guests gathered at the cemetery as we paid our last respects to Dad. His golfing buddies, coworkers, some neighbors, Mia, Grady, Georgia and her parents, and Mr. Dyson were a few who were in the crowd. Colton’s mom couldn’t make it. She was still in South Carolina, but had relayed her condolences through Colton.
