NOT YET TITLED

October 09, 2005

Law Offices of John White
12498 W. Sacramento Ave.
Gilmore, Texas 78130

Dear Ms.Corleone,

It is with deepest sympathy that I write to inform you of the passing of Ms. Jennifer Stone late last week. I had the pleasure of being her attorney for the last two years and had the task of handling her last will and testament. I am asking you to please join me and Ms. Stone's family on October 21, 2005, for the reading of the above mentioned last will and testament at my offices in Gilmore, Texas at 8 o'clock A.M.
I think you will find it most interesting to be present.
Looking forward to meeting you in person.

Sincerely,
John White
Attorney at Law


Prologue

My name is Sheridan Corleone. I'm an Italian Jew living in Texas. I know, sounds ridiculous. You're probably thinking that most Italians, if not all, are Catholic and they don't live in Texas.
Most ridiculous of all I have red hair and I haven't a trace of Irish in me! Imagine that! My mother was Jewish and my father Italian. If you know anything about the Jewish religion, you'll know that no matter what religion a baby's father is, if the mother is Jewish, then so be it for the child. This really isn't a problem for my father as seeing that he is a Baptist....I know, don't start with me.

I pretty much live a regular old life. Well, so I think. I live in Carson, Texas in a modest duplex on a corner next to a 7-Eleven. I go to work everyday promplty at 7:30AM to the Frost Bank located downtown where at the moment I am avoiding getting promoted to Head Teller. You see I don't like ritzy job titles and/or the responsibility that comes with them. I'd rather just blend into the background and just go about my slow paced, uncluttered life.

I graduated from Carson Senior High with the class of '96 and was ranked number twenty-two out of forty-four students. I liked that. In the middle. Not the Valedictorian, but not the one who barely passed either. I didn't really have any close friends in school. I hung around mainly by myself, often sitting under the huge mesquite tree that shaded the back half of the school. Rumor has it that it's the biggest mesquite this side of the Rio Grande. Who knows, and I don't really care.

My father worked for the railroad company in Carson for 35 years before retiring early last spring. He's had a bad back for some time and my mother finally made him quit. Now he just whiles away his time in his shop out back from the house while my mother watches the soap operas on T.V. and sits on the phone all day gossiping with her friends from the knitting club. You see, my family is just a regular old family from Texas. Not a Jewish religious household and definitely not a loud Italian family. That's mainly because my fathers family disowned him for marrying my mother. Baptists who totally believe in Jesus Christ, couldn't dare condone a marriage to a Jesus hating Jew. My mother doesn't really hate Jesus, it's just what my fathers family thinks of her.
Anyway, that's a little background on my immediate family.

Everything hunky dory in little Carson, Texas and at Frost Bank and at the Carson Senior High School...that is until the day I got the letter from an old school aquaintances attorney. That day will forever be ingrained in my mind as the day that Sheridan Corleone was no more.

Chapter One
When I got dressed this morning I had no idea how my life was going to change the moment I got home from work. At first it didn’t seem like a big deal, the letter that is. When I picked up my mail on the way into the house I glanced casually through the assorted leaflets and tossed them away, leaving me with the utility bill and my cable statement along with a small off colored envelope with a return address of one Mr. John White, Attorney at Law. Curiously I sat down at my small kitchen table and tore open the envelope. Why would a lawyer be contacting me? I didn’t have any outstanding debts and no credit cards to speak of. I hadn’t been involved in any car accidents lately where I might be sued for damages. A lot of thoughts went through my mind quickly as I pulled out the thick legal paper that was inside.

October 09, 2005

Law Offices of John White
12498 W. Sacramento Ave.
Gilmore, Texas 78130
[phone]



Dear Ms.Corleone,

It is with deepest sympathy that I write to inform you of the passing of Ms. Jennifer Stone late last week. I had the pleasure of being her attorney for the last two years and had the task of handling her last will and testament. I am asking you to please join me and Ms. Stone's family on October 21, 2005, for the reading of the above mentioned last will and testament at my offices in Gilmore, Texas at 8 o'clock A.M.
I think you will find it most interesting to be present.
Looking forward to meeting you in person.

Sincerely,
John White
Attorney at Law


Jennifer Stone? She had died? Wasn’t she the girl who had worked on the newspaper with me in Junior year? But we hadn’t been the best of friends. Why would I have an interest in attending the reading of her will? Confused I sat back in my chair and just stared at the wall in front of me. I was busy wracking my brain trying to figure out if we had been better friends then I remembered being? Nope. We hadn’t. I mean, sure we had eaten lunch together a couple of times to discuss newspaper columns and features, but I was pretty positive that didn’t count as a “put me in your will” type of friendship. I glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was a quarter till five. Still time to call this Mr. White and sort this out. Surely he had made a mistake and sent this to the wrong Sheridan Corleone. My doubts circled ever increasingly as I dialed the number. There weren’t any other Corleone’s in Carson. Actually in the whole southeastern part of the state for that matter. Frowning I confirmed my name for the receptionist as she put me on hold to transfer me to Mr. White.

“Ms. Corleone?”, a male, southern, drawn out accent asked.

“Yes, this is she.”, I confirmed.

“I’m assuming you received my letter and that’s why you are calling. I hope you will be seeing us on October 21st for the reading of the will. You have a most important obligation bestowed upon you by Ms. Stone.”, he said excitedly.
“I’m afraid there’s been some mistake Mr. White. I didn’t know Ms. Stone, er, Jennifer all that well and I honestly have no idea why she would include me in her will. I am calling to clear up any confusion that you or Jennifer may have had regarding myself and our non-existant friendship.”

“Ms. Corleone, I assure you there is no mistake. She plainly included you in the will when we drew it up. She specifically included you because of your religious background. You are Jewish aren’t you?”, he asked suspiciously.

“Well by birth, by observance, no.”, I informed him. “What does my religious background have to do with all of this anyway?”, I asked confusedly.

“I really shouldn’t speak about the will over the phone with you and especially without the family present. Could you please just meet at my offices on the morning of October 21st as scheduled?
There really isn’t anything to worry about Ms. Corleone, I assure you. We can settle all matters then.”, he said.

“I suppose I can, but I’ll have to ask for a day off. It really would be more convenient if you could just tell me what this is all about right now Mr. White. It would save me a lot of time and energy for you to just tell me what piece of furniture that I am getting so I can just make arrangements to have it shipped here or somewhere else as soon as possible.”, I told him getting perturbed.

“Ms. Corleon, I assure you that this is more than just a piece of furniture. It really is in your best interest to be here when the will is read and like I said, we can clear up any confusion at that time.”

I sighed heavily into the phone. This was not what I had planned. I had planned for him to tell me all the details now and then I could just make arrangements from here and not have to include myself in some teary eyed sympathetic episode in front of complete strangers. For God’s sake, I didn’t really even remember this girl.

“Fine, Mr. White, if you insist I be there, then I will. I guess it’s the least I can do for someone I barely knew”, I responded sarcastically.

“You barely knew her?”, he asked surprised.

“Yes sir, I hardly knew Jennifer. We worked on the paper together in high school and ate lunch together a few times but that was the extent of our relationship. And just to let you know, I do not have a religious background. I am quite confused about this whole thing. I suppose out of curiousity I will be there.”

“Well, I see”, he said casually, “Yes, we will settle this all when everyone is together at my office next Monday. See you then Ms. Corleone.”

With that I hung up the phone and sat there puzzled. What the hell was going on? He seemed very surprised that I hadn’t known Jennifer all that well. Perhaps he was starting to wonder why she had included me in the will as well.


I placed the phone back on the base and went into the bathroom to wash the day from my face. I had just pulled my red hair back into a ponytail and changed out of my wool suit, when the doorbell rang. I opened the door and immediately broke into a smile. It was my best friend Jack!

“Jack!”, I screamed excitedly! “Oh my God, when did you get back?”

“Whoah! Hold on there now little missy! This is an authentic Armani suit you’re crumpling beneath your curvy figure there!”, he said pushing me back inside of the house.

“Jack, whatever! Come in and tell me all about your trip!”, I said pulling him inside.

Jack Stevens was my best friend in the whole world. He worked for an accounting firm in Sherman and was regarded as a very intelligent asset to the company. For that they had made him head of their international affairs department last spring and now he spent most of his time traveling abroad to places like Paris and Milan, London and other places. I missed him dearly when he was gone. He could perform a mean pedicure too. Yes, Jack is gay. That doesn’t bother me though. I considered Jack a better friend and more compassionate than any woman I’d ever befriended in the past.

“Well, you sure are excited to see me. If I didn’t have a hankering for men, I’d take you in the bedroom and do naughty things to you all evening.”, he replied with a smirk.

“Oh Jack, don’t tease me like that. I could convert you, you know!”, I said with my hip sticking out enticingly.

“I know, that’s why I keep my distance from you. For now just keep that pouty lip to yourself and save those sexy ways for a heterosexual, selfish, football watching man.”

“Do you want something to drink? I have wine.”

He nodded his approval and headed out to the bathroom. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard and went to the fridge to get the wine. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of the envelope that contained the letter I had received from Jennifer’s attorney. Sighing I decided to grab it as I made my way back to the living room. Jack would know what to make of it. He knew Jennifer from school too. Maybe he could make sense of something from the whole ordeal. Maybe he’d even go with me to the reading.
Jack returned, having shed his jacket.

“I left my jacket on the back of your bathroom door. Do not let me forget it. This suit cost a fortune.”, he explained.

“Jack, be responsible for your own things.”, I chided like a mother.

Sitting down on the couch Jack loosened his tie and put his feet up on the coffee table. Sometimes I wish Jack wasn’t gay. He is a very good looking man and you wouldn’t know he was homosexual by just looking at him. Actually he basically had to tell women all the time that he preferred men over women. His voice and demeanor never gave away the secret.

“I see you gazing longingly at me again. You’re making me blush.”

“Sorry, can’t help myself,” I said blushing a bit myself.

Jack pointed at the envelope. “What’s that?”, he asked. Obviously he had seen the return address. “Are you in some kind of trouble? I swear I can’t leave for two weeks without you being sued by someone. I really should have someone stay with you Sheridan so you don’t get into mischief.”

“Shut up Jack! I didn’t get into any trouble! Do you remember Jennifer Stone from school?”, I asked him.

“Hmmmm, Miss Quiet Jenny Stone who sat in the back of Algebra class and never got an answer right? Miss Jenny Stone who wore that God awful pink dress to the homecoming dance and stood by the buffet table all night and ended up getting spunked with punch when Jerry tripped over the warmer plate cord? That Jennifer Stone?”, he said with inquisitive eyes.

“Yeah, except you remember a lot more of her than I do. Well she died two weeks ago. Of what I don’t know. This letter is from her attorney. He says that I have an obligation to be at the reading of her will in two weeks. By the way, who writes a will out at our age? That seems kinda morbid to me,” I said with a weak shudder.

“You write a will out when you know you’re going to die.”, he said plainly. I even detected a hint of sadness in his eyes.

“What do you mean? She knew she was going to die? And how do you know all this?”

He sat up straighter and looked into my eyes, almost like he didn’t want to discuss what he knew.
“I am not at liberty usually to speak about my clients, but since you seem to be involved in the aftermath I guess I can tell you. Jennifer came to me about five years ago. She told me that she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She had some trust funds set up for her by her father and some land that her grandfather had set aside for her if she ever married and wanted to build a house. She also had some money put back, from working I suppose. Say, did you know she had a kid?”, he asked me. I shook my head no and motioned for him to go on. “Well, anyway, she came in and wanted me to help her get her finances in order. She knew she was going to die cause she didn’t have the money to forgo the treatments for the cancer. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, why not sell the land and cash in the trust funds to pay for it. Well, she could have but the doctors couldn’t assure her that the treatments would cure her. Then what would she do or have to offer her kid when she did pass away? So I set her finances straight. I helped her invest the trust fund monies and we sold the land and invested that. I’d say it set her in pretty good standing as far as a so called dowry for someone who ended up raising her kid. I think her kids a boy, he would be about 5 and a half right now.”,

I just kinda sat there dumbfounded. How could I have not followed more closely with my classmates over the past ten years? Carson wasn’t a big town and lord knows everyone knew Sheridan’s business. How had she become so oblivious to what was going on around her? She knew the answer before she even asked it. In her crusade to basically blend into the background, she had alienated herself from her entire past. Hell, she hadn’t even attended her recent ten year class reunion.

I swallowed thickly and wiped a stray tear from my eye. “For pete’s sake Jack. I’m not sure why I’m so emotional over this. I mean, it’s not like Jennifer and I were best of friends.”, I said sniffling. The emotion I felt had really caught me off guard.

“Perhaps Sheridan it’s because of the cruelness of the situation. I mean a young girl our age with a small child knows she dying and has to make choices before time is up in order to provide for her son. You and I wouldn’t know what to do if one of us were faced with those decisions. That my dear friend is why you are crying.”, he said, sinking to the floor next to the couch to hold me in his arms.

I was really starting to feel foolish but I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t get a grip on the emotions that were churning in the pit of my stomach.

“So what does all of this have to do with me?”, I asked confused. “I wasn’t a close friend of hers. What possibly could she had willed to me?”

“I don’t know, but I guess you’ll find out when you go. When do you have to go to the reading? And before you ask, No, I can’t go with you. I’m leaving for the UK first thing tommorow morning. I just really came home to get some papers and to check on you and my house.”

“Jack, you know me to well.”, I said squeezing him tight. “I have to be there at eight o’clock on the 21st. I’m sure it’s nothing. Probably just some kind of formality.”

“Formality? In a will? No Sheri, it’s something important. I just wish I could give you some advice. I can’t very well figure it out myself, but you will call me as soon as you get done won’t you? I worry about you.”, he said kissing the top of my head.

“Yes, I’ll call you. Now, get up from here before I start tearing off the rest of your suit, you handsome, caring man!”, I teased pulling at his tie.