to the front where the lawyer waited. Walter and several other family members made comments about making them all wait. She wanted to tell them all to go to hell, then she could go upstairs and sleep.
She addressed the lawyer, “I’ve done what George requested. You don’t need me any longer. I’ll let you speak with the family alone.” She turned to leave, but the lawyer stopped her.
“Marti, George has asked you stay until the end. The will contains items which pertain to you specifically.”
She nodded and sat back and crossed her arms over her stomach. The nausea was back. She hoped she wouldn’t have to dash out of the room to throw up.
The lawyer went over the provisions in the will. He read the items and cash amounts allocated to the house staff and all of the distant relatives. Once complete, he asked everyone but the immediate family and Marti remain.
Marti didn’t pay close attention. She lost herself in the pouring rain outside the window. Emma came over and sat on her lap. She rested her head against Marti’s shoulder and watched the rain with her. It was so nice to hold the little girl in her arms. She imagined someday this would be her child with Cameron.
“I love you, Sugar Bug,” she whispered into her ear.
“I love you too.”
“Marti, did you hear me?” the lawyer asked.
“What? No. What did you say?”
“I’m going to read what has been left to everyone in this room. I will end with you and Cameron.”
“Okay. Fine,” she said distracted. She didn’t really care. She was holding the most important thing. She had Emma in her arms and a baby in her belly.
“I leave to my daughter, Claire,” the lawyer began, “the sum of ten million dollars and twenty-five percent of my shares in Knight Enterprises. To my son, Walter . . .”
Walter shifted to the edge of his seat, ecstatic. If his sister only got ten million and twenty-five percent of the shares, he got the rest. He was richer than rich. He sat back smiling, smug with the knowledge he’d gotten the bulk of the estate and his sister had been screwed. He always knew he was the favorite son.
“I leave the sum of ten million dollars and twenty-five percent of my shares in Knight Enterprises.”
“This can’t be right. What about the rest? Millions, the house and furnishings, the jewelry, and the other fifty percent of the company shares? He better not have left it to that whore.” Walter screamed the words, stood, and pointed a finger at Marti.
Marti covered Emma’s ears so she couldn’t hear Walter shouting and calling her names, but it was too late. Emma curled up in her arms.
Cameron didn’t care where the rest went. He had more than he could ever spend on his own. He hoped maybe Knight left something special for Emma.
“Walter, I assure you the will is sound. If you’ll give me the chance, I’ll finish and you’ll know who George allocated the rest to.”
“By all means, let’s see what my crazy father did with the rest.”
“To my son, Cameron, I leave fifty percent of my shares in Knight Enterprises.”
“Wait a minute. Cameron is not his son.” Walter stood and braced his hands on the back of the chair in front of him.
Marti didn’t give Cameron a chance to answer. “Yes, he is.”
“I am, Walter. Knight was my father. Knight asked Marti to tell me outside. He kept the secret all these years.”
“It’s not true. He was married to my mother for forty years.”
“Knight was Daddy’s dad?” Emma looked up at Marty.
“Yes, Sugar Bug. Knight was your grandpa.”
Tears rolled down Emma’s round cheeks.
Cameron watched his daughter in Marti’s arms. He wanted to go to her, but knew she was where she wanted to be.
“He was separated from her for a short time and had a brief affair with my mother. They agreed not to tell me who my father was, so long as he could be in my life. Your mother agreed and welcomed me here. I didn’t know Knight was my father until tonight.”
“I want a DNA test. This can’t be true.”
The lawyer took out a folder with some lab reports. “Your father thought you might feel that way and had the tests run. Cameron is his son and Emma is his granddaughter.”
Cameron looked surprised. “How did he run the tests?”
“He took a swab from Emma and stole your hairbrush on one of your overnight visits.”