“That company runs this town.” The words fell out of his mouth like dominos tipping one by one. “Half the people are employed there. You hand those stocks over to ShellOil and they’ll get rid of this town. Hire the people they want and push that port to its limit.”
“I don’t want anything to do with this,” I whispered.
The lawyer cleared his throat. “Your grandmother has written all the details in your letter, but I do want to read the rest of the terms here in case you do not accept them.”
He motioned for us to take our seats. I huffed and plopped back down in mine, running my fingers over my bracelets. I tried to channel the energy from them. I needed at least ten more to get through the rest of the will, though.
“If you won’t marry one another, you may donate your stocks to ShellOil. You will not get a vote on the outcome of the port and you will not pass go and collect that 200 dollars, Morina.” Mr. Finley looked up at me. “She had me write that in.”
If my grandmother were here, I would have tried to strangle her. She always wanted me to marry for god knows what reason. I swear this was her stupid version of haunting, and wow had she done a fan-fucking-tastic job.
“The stipulations are strict. One week to become engaged, one month to be married. You attend two quarterly meetings while married. At that point, which will be six months from today, Morina may sell or give the shares to whomever she wishes. Until then, they must belong to her or to ShellOil.”
“An ultimatum?” Bastian whispered under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose.
She believed I needed a week's time for an engagement, then we’d move in together, legally get married, and I’d figure out if we could trust Bastian with the shares in six months? “Why can’t I sell to him now?” I asked, waving my hands about.He seemed to understand what businesses needed.
“You wouldn’t be able to anyway,” Bastian grumbled like he had all the answers and didn’t like a single one. “There’s probate and estate processing.”
“So what?”
He shook his head. “You don’t understand anything.”
I wanted to scream that no shit, I don’t understand. This is all news to me.
“This is the most ridiculous way of handling a will.” I hoped Grandma’s dead spirit could hear me. “I don’t think it’s even legal.”
Bastian’s lawyer chose that time to speak up. “There’s a lot of legal jargon through this will, but I can assure you that everything Mr. Finley’s saying is the truth.”
I rolled the beads on my wrist over and over again as everyone waited in silence. I tried some deep breathing. I counted to ten.
Nothing worked. No answers appeared and I definitely didn’t feel calmer.
“There has to be a way around these stocks going to ShellOil.”
“Yes, you marry me, we have it be legal for six months, nothing more and nothing less. Then, I’ll buy it from you for a fair price.”
“Absolutely not.” I wasn’t marrying that man.
“Suit yourself.” Bastian stood and glanced at Dante, who rose an instant later.
The man reading the will cleared his throat. “Make sure to put in paperwork to the courthouse on time. We don’t want to break the terms of the will because of a mishap with marriage certificates if that’s what you both decide to do.”
He was hinting at Bastian’s status, yet staring at me as if I were suddenly important.
I shook my head. “I don’t know what you mean by that.”
“The judge has some ties to the company just like the town does, Morina,” he murmured like Bastian wouldn’t be able to hear him.
I needed to get out of here. I needed some fresh air. “I can’t do this.”
The only person who seemed to get me or who would offer any type of helping hand spoke up right then. “Morina,” Dante said in his deep, soothing voice, “your gut is pulling you in a lot of directions right now.”
I glanced at him and the frown on his face suggested sympathy
“It’s okay.” He patted me on the shoulder. “Put your hand right on your stomach. Feel the heat and let it out.”
It was a reiki trick. I had practiced it before a little but had never gotten into it.