“Dad. Please don’t cause a scene, not here, not today.”
“I have no intention of causing anything, I simply came to see my mother buried. Just because she chose her…” He paused to glare at Gwen’s mum who was busy placating other family members, persuading them there was no need for them to give assistance. “I know you like to pretend she was only YOUR family, but she was still my mother. I will see you tomorrow at the solicitors, once I get my inheritance, you can go back to America and forget I exist again.”
Gwen bit back the retort reminding him that he was the one who disappeared from her life long before they left the country.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then. Right now, I have people to see.”
Gwen looked around, spotted Jake and Nate and made a beeline for them. Only once she joined them did she look over her shoulder to make sure her dad had left and was not hassling her mum.
“You handled that so well, we are so proud of you. I was going to send Nate over to physically remove him if needed, but I knew you could handle him.”
“Thanks, and thanks for coming. She would have been so blown away by the number of people who showed up today.”
“We can’t come to the wake, Jake here has to work, someone called in sick at the last minute but why don’t you come to the club tomorrow night. You can sit with me, I’ll get the drinks and you can see Jackie strut her stuff?”
“Jackie?”
“Yeah, that’s my drag name. What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, it’s just, well, it’s just a bit normal? I expected something more exotic.”
“I told him the same, but he wouldn’t listen to me. Maybe while you’re home you can help me create him a new alter ego.” Nate laughed while Jake pouted beside him.
“Right, it’s a date. Besides. I have a feeling I will need to let my hair down. because I have a feeling my dad is not going to be happy when the will is read.”
“Do you know what’s in it?”
“Not exactly, but I do know that gran always said that she would leave the house to me. And if she has… Well, I can see him wanting to fight me for it.”
“Don’t you dare let him win, your gran wanted you to have that. Bu-u-u-t, does that mean you would move back here?” Jake sounded excited as he asked the final question.
“I really haven’t thought about anything. I just want to get thought the meeting first, then, I’ll take it from there.”
After a round of hugs and air kisses she watched her two friends leave. Nate wrapped his arm protectively around Jakes shoulders as they disappeared out of sight, and she felt a pang for someone to treat her like that. She wanted someone to want, to love, and care for her. She constantly reminded herself she didn’t need anyone, but since arriving back here, she had been reminded more frequently of the girl she had been. A girl who and craved love and affection, of a girl who had shown her heart only to have it crushed.
Her mum came over and led her out to the awaiting car. The drive to her gran’s favourite working men’s club only took a few minutes but she was thankful for the silence that her mum allowed to surround them. Composing herself ready for the next round of sympathy and questioning she stared out of the window. She had not really thought about what she would do if she inherited the house. Her gran might have always said one day it would be hers but what if her dad did decide to dispute it, did she really want it that badly?
At the club she once again did the rounds, chatting to her gran’s friends and relatives. They discussed everything from old memories to the quality of the buffet. She was glad to be able to tell them all that her gran had left specific instructions to the club’s landlord regarding what should and should not be in the food. No one could argue with a dead woman.
After two hours she crept over to her mum to ask if they could leave. From her mum agreeing, it took another forty minutes to get out of the building. The minute they had put their coats on everyone had crowded them for one final word.
Gwen and her mum had found themselves agreeing to come back to the club to visit before they left for the States. They exchanged phone numbers with cousins Gwen had only ever heard mentioned in passing, and had accepted dozens of Facebook friendships. Some had said they would see them the next morning for the will reading as they had been asked to be present. Gwen was curious just how much her gran could possibly have had to leave to all these people, she would find out in the morning.
CHAPTER FIVE
The next morning, they arrived at the offices of Richards & Sons solicitors, twenty minutes early. She had opted for a navy trouser suit, whereas her mum had gone for a charcoal grey pinstripe dress and Jacket. They had both agreed that morning that they would show her dad that they meant business and that they would not tolerate any of his stupidity. They were deep in conversation as they entered the reception, it was only when a woman’s voice greeted them, they looked up and Gwen froze.
While her mum spoke to the woman, Gwen stood staring at the person she had bared her soul to, the person who had turned and walked away from her.
“Gwen, it’s good to see you, you’re looking good, the States must agree with you.”
“Elise, hi, erm yes, I love New York. What are you doing working here? I thought you wanted to be a teacher.”
“I got a part-time job for the summer of my last year at Uni. My mum knew one of the partners, turned out I loved it and they helped my go back to college to get the right qualifications to become a paralegal secretary. Take a seat and I will let them know you are here. I know there are more to arrive before they can get on with things so would you like a coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
“White two sugars?”