Page 4 of All It Takes

“There’s another godparent listed. The will requests that you share guardianship.”

I whipped my gaze back to her. “Oh? Who is that?”

ChapterFour

TIFFANY

“Huh?” That was all I could manage.

I had taken this call on speakerphone because I was busy updating the benefits in the new payroll system I had set up for Alice. We’d tested a few out and settled on a favorite. Honestly, it was my pick, and Alice was game-enough to go along with my preferences. It was genuinely the easiest one to deal with, so if I wasn’t here, Alice could stumble her way through it.

I stared down at my phone screen, part of my brain wondering if this was some kind of joke.

“You’re listed in the will as one of the godparents,” the woman said.

“Sarah’s dead?” My voice had a hint of panic in it.

Sarah was one of my best friends from college. She’d lived in Seattle near me for a few years after college with her husband before they moved to a smaller town in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Their life was happy and together. She was a lawyer, and they had a little boy. My brain spewed out this list of facts as if it would confirm Sarah was definitely not dead.

“Yes, she and George died in an accident. I’m sorry to shock you.”

“Where is their son?” I blurted out.

“Ross is currently with the other person listed as a guardian in their will. There are two of you.”

“Oh,” I murmured. “Sarah mentioned that George asked one of his close friends. You know when someone asks you to do this, you don’t really think about it. I mean, you do, but you don’t ever expect anything to go wrong.” My voice was strained.

Alice appeared in the doorway behind the desk, clearly hearing my tone from down the hallway. The vet clinic was closed for the afternoon, so we could get caught up on paperwork and things.

She cocked her head to the side, mouthing, “Are you okay?”

I shook my head, gesturing for her to sit down in the other chair behind the desk.

“I do understand that. I’m sure this is a lot to take in,” the woman said slowly. “I’m in town this afternoon because I’ve just met with the other godparent. He said Ross can stay with him for now, but I’d like to talk with you. Both of you are listed in the will, so we should discuss planning.”

“Oh my God, oh my God,” I repeated. “The other godparent is in Willow Brook?”

“Yes, that is the case. Sarah was from there, correct?”

“Uh, sort of. Her parents lived here for a few years in high school, but they moved away.”

“Ah, I see. I guess that’s how her husband met one of his best friends. Is it possible for me to meet with you this afternoon? I drove here from Anchorage.”

“Uh, sure,” I said slowly, trying to pull my thoughts out of this weird rut where they’d fallen.

I was dealing with the shock of learning one of my closest friends had died, and now, apparently, I might be responsible for raising her son. Oh my God.

“Okay, can you let me know where to meet you?”

“I work at Willow Brook Veterinary Clinic. It’s right off Main Street on a side street.” I quickly recited the address. “We’re actually closed to patients for the last hour today, so it’s a good time for you to stop by. You can park in the back and knock on the back entrance.”

“Okay, I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Thank you.”

I heard the line click, and I tapped my phone screen to make sure the call had ended. I swiveled in my chair, my mouth hanging open as I stared at Alice. “Sarah Ralston died. Do you remember her?”

Alice scrunched her nose. “Didn’t she live here in high school?”

“Yeah. She was my best friend. We ended up at college together in Seattle. She and her husband died, and I don’t even know how. I agreed to be their son’s godparent, but I never thought anything would happen to her!” I burst into tears.

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