Page 104 of Lime Tree Hill

“You called, Mrs. Harrington?”

Mrs. Harrington?“I did. Do you have a spare twenty minutes?”

“Sounds serious. If you can condense it into ten, shoot.”

Tayla shuffled her thoughts. With limited time, she’d concentrate on her visit to the lawyers. Her marital problems could wait until she and Ruby talked face-to-face. “I went to see Mitch’s lawyer today. There is something else from Norman’s estate.”

“Go on.”

“He left me one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in his will.”

“What! And you’ve only just found out? Way to go, you.”

“It was to be gifted to me on the fifth of November in my twenty-seventh year.”

“Well, that’s crazy right there. If it was your actual birthday, well okay, but?—”

“It’s the tenth anniversary of my bike accident. He didn’t think like other people. According to Simon, Dad knew but had to keepquiet because of a confidentiality clause. Nothing makes any sense these days, Rubes. It’s like someone’s in the background playing the strings of my life, and I’ve only just realized it. Mitch, Norman…even Dad. They’re all taking care of shy, impulsive Tayla’s interests. But I’m not that girl anymore. I told Simon it should go to Mitch.”

“What? Why on earth would you do that?”

Tayla had asked herself the same question as she’d left Simon’s office. “Because he’s done enough for our family lately. It’s only fair.”

“Even so, it’s a lot of money. Probably more than you’d save in a lifetime. You could climb onto the property ladder with that kind of deposit. Have you talked to Mitch?”

“Not yet. He’s still away.”

“Of course. Swanning around Fiordland. I forgot. Anyway, I’ll call you later tonight. Mum and Dad are coming for dinner, and I have to collect the girls from Noah’s mother. If I’m a few minutes late, I’ll get a big black mark against my name in her book of spells and naughty deeds.”

Tayla laughed. “Behave.”

“It’s okay for you. You haven’t even met your mother-in-law.”

“I have on Skype. She’s lovely.” Tayla wondered if she would ever meet Andrea and Frank in the flesh.

“Yeah, so was Noah’s mum in the beginning. Anyway, you’d better go eat some chocolate. You’ve had quite the shock. Love ya.”

“You too. Thanks for the ear.”

“You’re welcome, but whatever you do, don’t make any rash decisions.”

Tayla went to say goodbye but stopped with another thought. “You know what really bothers me?”

“No, what?”

“If I’d known about the money earlier, Mum and Dad would still have the orchard. I could have paid off some of their debts.”

“Maybe, but Dad was ready to bow out two years ago. And you know how proud he is. He wouldn’t have accepted it. And Mitch was a beneficiary of the will, not the executor. He probably has no idea what the money’s worth in today’s market.”

“Yeah, I guess. Anyway, bye, Ruby Tuesday. Love you.”

Tayla ended the call and flopped onto the sofa. Ruby was right. Paying her parents’ debts would only have been a short-term solution to a long-term problem.

So what would she do with the money if she kept it?

45

THE CHOICE

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