Page 32 of A Package Deal

“He also hated the cover story Stella had insisted on.” Mrs. Hart looked at Nelie. “He wanted you to grow up knowing the truth about how many people loved you.” Mrs. Hart looked toward the river, and Nelie wondered if she was zoning out for an emotional break. Nelie hadn’t considered how much the last few weeks had cost Mrs. Hart by unearthing all the old pain and reexamining their decisions. Gus was struggling, so it only made sense that Mrs. Hart was, too.

“So Ronnie left us money?” Suzanne asked, sounding hopeful. Mrs. Hart frowned. Nelie remembered hearing scuttlebutt a few years ago about Jackson’s dad organizing a hostile takeover to sell Hart Hotels. Rumor had it he was in a lot of debt. Jackson had stopped the takeover, but he and his father were like the cold war now. Nelie wondered how involved Suzanne had been in the takeover attempt and how much of their overspending was because of her.

From her clothes and jewelry, one would never guess they had money problems. But like her dad always said, a person never knew what was in someone’s bank account or how successful a marriage was when no one was looking. Thinking of Gus helped. He and Stella had unselfishly loved her. Nelie didn’t know what kind of mother Suzanne had been, but she’d bet Stella was better. Suzanne giving her up for adoption may have been the greatest gift in Nelie’s life.It even surpasses the Easy-Bake oven.

“The terms were that nothing would happen until Nelie was told the truth, and Mrs. Hart has full discretion on the pay-out of the inheritance,” Miller said.

“What does that mean?” Suzanne asked. Her eyes were wide and her forehead quivered as though being restrained.

“It means that she can decide when and the amount to be disbursed,” Miller said.

“So, we can’t get it all at once?” Suzanne asked, her voice raising.

“It means you and Franklin need to sit down with Croix and Rica and honestly discuss your situation, including bank statements, credit cards, and loans. Based on their recommendations and your cooperation, I’ll decide how to best handle your portion,” Mrs. Hart said. Suzanne’s face turned red, and her jaw tightened. “Unless you’d like your share to be put in trust for your children?”Checkmate, Nelie thought.

“We can work with Croix and Rica.” Suzanne said in clipped tones.

“As for you three.” Mrs. Hart smiled warmly at her grandchildren. Her shoulders softened and her body relaxed, like a warrior dropping her shield after battle.

In the last few weeks, Nelie had seen past what Mrs. Hart showed the public. It was like Dorothy peeling back the curtain to reveal that the Wizard of Oz was only a man. Mrs. Hart was a pillar of the community, but she wasn’t above human foibles, mistakes, and regrets. But for all the mistakes that had been made, Mrs. Hart owned them and tried to rectify them. Nelie admired her for it. The lie still hurt, but it soothed Nelie to believe that everyone had done the best they could.

“You don’t need to wait. Your funds will be available to you by the end of the month,” Mrs. Hart said, and Suzanne gasped at the blow.

“How much?” Priscilla asked.

“Apple didn’t fall far from that tree,” Jackson muttered under his breath before Pris elbowed him.

“Easy for you. You’re not staring at a mountain of student loans.”

“This much.” Miller slid envelopes toward them, ending the squabble.

Pris whistled under her breath, and Nelie’s hand stopped. “Goodbye student loans.”

“If you have any left to plow into CHART.” Jackson pulled out his paper and his eyes widened. “Never mind, it looks like we can move to the next phase.”

Nelie didn’t know what that meant, but he sounded happy. Jackson and Pris placed their letters on the table and looked at Nelie. Her hand shook. For Pris to pay off medical school loans and Jackson to do whatever it was he was doing with CHART—the holding company for the resorts—the amount had to be big. Nelie squinted and reread her letter: ten million dollars split evenly between the three of them. She swallowed and set down her letter, all eyes fixed on the key taped to it.

“The cabin key,” Jackson said, sounding wistful. Nelie wondered if he was remembering the summer Ronald dragged them up there almost every weekend as free labor. They’d reroofed the cabin and painted the interior, complaining about child labor laws, but Nelie had secretly loved every minute, minus the mosquitoes, wood ticks, and sunburn. That summer Jackson had worked as a bellhop at Hart Haven, and she’d worked full time at the Galley, but Gus and Stella always made sure she could go to the cabin.

“I’ll give my key back to you.”

Nelie’s eyebrow raised at his insistent tone. That wasn’t the response she’d expected. “No. Keep it. It’s as much yours as mine.”

“And that’s why he left it to Nelie,” Miller said, sounding amused. “He knew you’d share it.” Nelie felt a warm glow as the tears gathered, but this time they were happy tears.

Jackson leaned back, crossed his arms, and stared at Miller. “How long have you known Nelie was my sister?” He hadn’t saidhalf-sister, and Nelie wondered if that meant something.

“Too long.” Miller huffed.

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Jackson sounded angry and hurt.

“Client confidentiality.”

“Anything else you’re not telling me?” Jackson asked, as if Miller would ignore his ethics and spill the beans.

“No.” The two men stared at each other, and Nelie felt for Miller and the position his clients put him in. She wondered if he unburdened himself to Wren or if he kept everything locked inside to protect her.

Pris’s phone chimed, and she stood, explaining that her shift started soon. She sounded sincere, but Nelie couldn’t help but ponder what would happen if she set alarms on her phone to get out of situations and conversations. Would people respect it, like they did for Dr. Priscilla Wyatt, or would they laugh?

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