The World Goes On

Write a story that includes the words: inheritance, alarm, shake.  Word count: 299

Her hands began to shake as she read the name on the envelope.  Brian Danvers.  Her Brian.  Wait - not her Brian anymore.  Not since the accident.  Now it was just her.  Had it only been a month since the funeral?  Her life had stopped while the world continued as if nothing had happened.

The sound of her cell phone brought her back to the present.

“Hello?” 
“Kelly it’s John.  We really need to have you come into the office to discuss Brian’s will.  There’s still the issue of the inheritance to settle.”

She cringed hearing the familiar sound of the attorney’s voice.  Didn’t he understand?  She didn’t want the money. 

“Can’t this wait John?” Her voice sounded brittle and exhausted.

She could hear the frustration as he replied “No Kelly.  It really can’t.  He was my friend and I miss him too.  But you can’t keep putting this off.  Please.  Just come in today.  Then you can put this part behind you.” 

Put it behind her?  It felt like it would always be right here in front of her.  She sighed deeply.  Sooner or later she was going to have to start existing again.  She just really didn’t want it to be today.  But there was no use avoiding it.  He would just keep calling.

“Alright.  I’m on my way.”

She grabbed her keys off the counter and turned to set the house alarm.  She looked at the picture of Brian on the wall smiling down on her with that little boy charm of his and laughing eyes. Maybe she had been wrong.  Maybe he was still hers.  She glanced back again at his picture as she closed the door behind her and felt the corners of her mouth turn up in the faintest trace of a smile.