Wife
Five minutes away. Your mom wants to meet us afterward for coffee. Do you want to go?
Me
You know she asked you because she was hoping you’d say yes and make me come, right?
I’m sure, but it’s up to you. I’ll tell her no if you don’t want to go.
Is anyone else going to be there?
Your brother and sister.
I groaned. Mom probably wanted to talk about the funeral plans. I’d have preferred she do whatever she wanted and just tell me where to be and when. I didn’t want to make decisions about music and readings, and I definitely didn’t want to give a eulogy. I was still coming to terms with how to feel about everything.
Supposedly, grief hit everyone differently, but I didn’t think I was supposed to feel so torn. I wasn’t sure which emotion to settle on. I’d been through sorrow, anger, relief, pain, fear. It was all there, and I hated it. I didn’t want his death to have such a strong hold on me. He was gone, and he was still capable of making me feel like shit.
Wife
Hayden? Are you okay?
Me
If we go out, will you do the talking for me?
I was only half joking. I’d been taking full advantage of Danielle’s ability to read my emotions over the past few days. She’d been my anchor and was the only reasonI wasn’t locked in my room at the moment, ignoring the world.
Wife
*eye roll emoji*
Me
Is that a yes or a no?
Yes, but this offer is going to expire at some point. I’m not talking for you with your family forever.
I love you. *kiss emoji*
A silver Audi pulled into the parking lot, and a second later Danielle was running toward me a little faster than humanly possible. She was a vision in a forest-green dress that was completely backless and dipped low between her breasts in the front. The entire thing seemed to be held in place by two simple ties at her back, and I couldn’t wait to get her back home and undo those tempting strings.
“I love you too,” she said, rising on her toes to kiss my cheek. “Are you ready for this?”
“No, but I don’t think I really get a choice in the matter.”
“It’s going to be okay.” She took my hand in hers and squeezed. “Your dad loved you.”
“Yeah, but his way of showing love was to try to control me and make my life whathethought it should be.”
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Let’s just go listen.”
She didn’t let go of my hand as we settled into the two chairs across from my father’s lawyer.
I wasn’t sure why I was so anxious. Dad had told me what he planned for the company shares and the rest of his wealth. In theory, I knew what his will contained, but this was my father we were talking about. I never knew how things were going to go when it came to him, and I’d come to expect that I wouldn’t like the outcome.
“Thank you both for joining me. Robert asked that I explain everything to you two before the family reading of the will. Hayden, according to the prenup your parents signed, Allison is entitled to half the assets acquired after their marriage in the case that they were still married at the time of Robert’s death. The other half is split equally between you and Miles.”
I nodded, happy to hear that Mom and Miles were each being left part of the inheritance. Dad hadn’t mentioned that when he’d given me his marriage ultimatum.
