investors with the proceeds going into my irrevocable trust. My sister should know she was the light of my life, and should she precede me in death, my world has been a dimmer place for not having you in it until the end, Little Mari Sunshine.”
Maris sniffles as she nods, likely none of the lawyer’s bequests coming as a surprise but her brother’s words grabbing her beyond the grave.
“To my husband, Dean Kevin Malone, I want you to know words can’t capture the miracle of the love I found with you. To you, I leave my irrevocable trust with the understandings associated with it. Should he precede me in death, the trust is to be split evenly between my sister and my nephew by marriage, Kevin Jennings Malone, with the understanding the trust is not to be touched for any reason until his twenty-fifth birthday except furthering his education, medical necessity, or as agreed upon by the executor of the estate as necessary to maintain his current standard of living.”
My fists clench and unlock upon hearing my son’s full name. Kara named him after her brother and me. I’m not given much time to process that as the lawyer continues.
“To my sister-in-law, Kara Malone, I leave my eternal gratitude in sharing the Malone love. I just wanted you to know, you will never know what it meant for you to open up to me when you had every right to keep yourself closed off. From now into eternity, know I had a special place in my heart for you. Even in death, I have to try one last time for both of your sakes. If it doesn’t work out the way I think it will, don’t think ill of me in your memories years from now.” The lawyer pauses. “A copy of this will be provided to Ms. Malone, per Mr. Smith’s wishes, which is why her presence was not required here today.”
Maris whispers, “God, Jed,” before her entire body shudders. Since I’m the closest to the tissues, I slide them across the table. But I’m stunned speechless when instead of sadness, I find anger sparking in her eyes.
“Maris?” I ask hesitantly.
“Be quiet, Jennings,” she hisses, her voice awash with bitterness. “This isn’t over yet.”
With a twisted feeling in my stomach, I face the lawyer.
“To Bradley Meyers, I leave my boat in Florida and a two-year fully paid tender. Take Rainey and the kids on a vacation out of the cold, my friend.” Brad gives a watery chuckle.
“To Kody Laurence, I leave my travel journals, sketch books, and drawing kit. There’s also an open-ended monthlong trip paid for at the retreat we went to in Montana. Inside one of the journals, you’ll find a drawing of a tree house I thought would be perfect there. Make that happen, will you? Sorry, Kody, the sketches suck. My skills were never up to yours. If I could wish anything for you, it’s to see there’s more than houses that needs your magic touch.” Kody scrubs his head in his hands as he nods up and down. Ng, the paralegal, comes up behind Kody and hands him a box which Kody accepts.
“To Nicholas Cain, I leave my gold cross and chain. There was never a day I didn’t wear it. Faith was important to me. You need to believe something, my friend. It wasn’t me who saved you. It’s time for you to accept that as you look in the mirror. Maybe if you’re wearing this, you will.” Nick looks away, a tic in his jaw. The lawyer clears his throat. “Mr. Cain, this is for you.” The lawyer stands and walks around the table. When he reaches him, he presses a small box in Nick’s trembling hands. “Thank you” is choked out, but it’s not the lawyer he’s addressing. It’s Maris. Because Jed told it true: he was never without that necklace, and he has to know what Jed leaving that to someone else must do to her.
She shrugs as if it doesn’t make a difference to her while Isler reseats himself and gets his bearings.
Resuming his location in the will, he continues. “And finally, to John Jennings, I leave the contents of these two envelopes. It’s my ever-loving hope you understand the meaning of them before you do something beyond forgiveness.” The lawyer slides both envelopes toward me, the first small, the second much larger.
The first one says READ ME NOW in Jed’s distinctive scrawl.