Page 6 of The Leaving Road

“No, I am perfectly okay.” My mouth was watering, and I dug in before Momma had even left the table to get the refills.

Ted chuckled, “You must have been starving.”

I couldn’t help but grin while inhaling my food, “Sorry, it was a long drive yesterday, and then I crashed before I could pick something up and I didn’t bring anything to make.”

“No worries at all, dear. You eat, I’ll ask questions, and then we will get down to business.”

He wanted to know about my life, like if I liked it in Iowa, and why I stayed after school. I answered them all politely and without much emotion because there wasn’t much about my life that was interesting other than my job—it was my one passion. If I could get the funding, I would open my own clinic that operated at as low a cost as possible, while keeping a dedication to quality of care, and with the hopes that we would never have to turn anyone away for lack of funds. It was a pipe dream and I knew it, but that was why I worked so hard. I wanted to be able to make a difference; I knew I couldn’t save them all, but I was doing my best to try.

Luckily, Ted noticed how passionate I was about my job, so we kept the conversation mostly centered around that. “So, technically, you could open your pipe dream clinic anywhere,” he said while he finished the last bit of food on his plate. Mine was already long gone.

“Yeah, I guess,technicallyI could.” I side eyed him, wondering where this was going.

“Well, Magnolia, I think it’s time we get down to it.”

“Yes, that would be great. I’m sure there’s a lot to do, and I need to be on the road in the next two weeks.”

Ted gazed at me with a puzzled look. “Magnolia, had your dad ever talked to you at all about his will?”

“Err…not really, no. We weren’t very close, per se. Our relationship was more of, ‘How’s the weather? Read any good books lately?’”

“This complicates things a bit…”

Dread pulled at my stomach, but at least Ted had the decency to look a little frazzled, like he had expected a totally different interaction.

He pulled out a thick binder with what looked like lots of legal documents. “Magnolia, as I’m sure you know, your parents were wealthy due to some family money that was very well invested—your mother’s inheritance, and your dad made a good living as a deep-sea fisherman.”

“I don’t know much about that if we are being honest. I got scholarships, and I worked my way through college; my dad paid for my room and board and meal ticket, but that’s about it. Not that he wouldn’t have helped more, I just didn’t need it. I got hired right out of school and started making my own money very quickly. We never talked about his financial state of things; I guess we both just figured we had more time…”

“Oh well, I’m pleased to inform you that your dad’s investment portfolio is around one-point-two million dollars. Now, all this money is currently tied up in stocks, but you could pull it out if you chose to.”

I choked on coffee, unsure of what to say. One-point-two million dollars? I could open my own clinic. For the first time in a long time, I was feeling hopeful.

“Now, onto the house, which was also left to you. It was appraised at three million dollars, give or take the state of the market. It does have some severe issues since it was laid in a state of neglect for the last eight or so years. There was a pipe that burst last winter that caused some damage to one of the rooms downstairs, which will need to be restored before being placed on the market. According to your dad’s last wishes, you must live in the town of Rockland for one year before you can have access to the investment portfolio, and you must live in the house for two years before the deed is transferred into your name to do with what you will.”

My mouth dropped open.

“Live here?”I all but screeched.

“Yes, your dad wanted you to come home. He said it was time, and he figured this was the way to do it.”

“That’s not possible. I have a job, a career. I couldn’t possibly stay here fortwoyears! What an odd amount of time… Why two years, anyway?”

“One year was for healing, one was for moving on.”

My blood turned to ice. “Excuse me?”

“Like I said, your dad and I got close toward the end, and he confided in me. Look, I know I’m not your favorite person right now, and I also know that you need time to process what I’ve told you, but your dad wrote you a letter. I suggest you read this; it will explain everything a bit more. Call me when you’re ready to discuss the finer details.” He started to get up to leave.

“And what happens if I refuse? If I go home?”

“Then your dad’s investment portfolio will be divided up between charities of his choosing, and the house will be awarded to the historical society.”

This was a lot to process, and my dad’s letter felt like it was a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. Ted threw down multiple bills to cover breakfast.

“Call me and we’ll go over everything once you’ve had time to digest it.” He squeezed my shoulder and strode out the door.

I needed to get home to read that letter, I couldn’t do it here. I grabbed my purse, made sure to make eye contact with Momma and Papa Tuck on my way out, and offered a small wave to both.

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