Theodore (Xavier's Hatchlings #2) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,19
going to press charges before we leave here. Pem abused my son.” Mr. Kasen rolled his eyes. “You think this is some sort of joke?”
“No, I don’t. But since I’ve been in here, those boys of yours have broken the water fountain, torn the shade down from the window, and pulled out my paperwork, so I had to redo it all. The two of you have sat there like nothing was going on. I don’t know where you got your parenting skills, and usually, I’m not one to judge, but they’re not good kids. Now, you are more than welcome to go out with them. Your name isn’t mentioned in this will reading either. You either leave with them, or I have them escorted out by these fine officers here.” Caroline was torn. MaryBeth could see that. She’d very much like it if she left with the kids. But in the end, she decided to stay. “Very good. Now. I’m here to read the last will and testament of Harold Brook Black.”
MaryBeth knew what was in the will. Her will said basically the same as his in that they had left the same things to the same people. She only wished that Harold hadn’t had to die for her to have to deal with this. The love the two of them shared wasn’t like the marriages she’d witnessed by other people.
Last night Pem had married Theo Manning. It hadn’t been much more than them signing the paperwork to make it legal. Theo had put Pem on all his properties and credit that morning, and he’d even given MaryBeth a credit card with her name on it. MaryBeth didn’t know what she’d do with such a thing, but it was nice to have the security of knowing it was there.
She looked at Pem when she quietly said her name. “Grandma, he’s asking you if you’re all right.” She said she was. She was musing. It made Pem smile. “I’m so glad to see you happy. You’ve no idea how happy that makes me.”
“Of course, she’s happy. What the heck was Dad thinking in leaving her all that land? It’s not like she’s going to farm it or anything.” She was glad to see that leaving Pem everything had upset Austin. “I’m going to contest this will, so don’t go getting all settled in that place. It should have come to me. Not you.”
“I’ve already sold it, as of last night. So, it’s a moot point now.” Austin and Patrick asked her what she was talking about. “The land that the house sits on. The acres that we bought long before you two were born. I sold it to the Manning Foundation yesterday. I’m glad for it too. I’m a very wealthy woman.”
“Good, then you’re going to be the one that I get money from. Like I pointed out, it should have been mine in the first place. I’ll have you know that you’re going to be out on your butt, Mom, just as soon as I find an attorney that is willing to do this. Not that I think any of them wouldn’t want to take on a case this large, but I want it.” MaryBeth just stared at her son. “Oh, come on now. You can’t really believe that Patrick and I shouldn’t have gotten anything from the estate. You and Dad had to think this was a bad idea to leave everything to Pem. What sort of things did he expect my children to have if not the money?”
“Frankly, Austin, I don’t think you have a leg to stand on, but you go on and try suing the Mannings for the land. Theo and his family made me a very generous offer, and I took it. I did speak to Mr. Kasen about it, and he said that since Pem is listed as the sole heir in both of our wills, and she agreed to the sale, then I could do whatever I wanted with it. So, I did.” Austin told her what he’d told Pem, not to get too comfortable. “Why, thank you for caring, but I am very comfortable with where I am now. I’m living with Pem and her new husband, Theo.”
“Oh, so that’s how they took advantage of an old woman without the sense that God gave a rock. They bamboozled you.” Austin laughed, and she felt her temper rise up. Old woman indeed. “That’ll make things so much easier for me when I take