Mattie's Call (11 page)

Gabrielle slammed her fist on the table, spilling a little of her drink. “She coerced Mama into giving her the money! She wouldn't have done that herself.”

“Gigi, you know Karen was there for Mama when we weren't,” said Alice. “I'm surprised she didn't give her more.”

“Speak for yourself! I was there to visit her as often as I could. That dictator you called a husband wouldn't let you see her, so don't judge me.”

Joshua piped in. “As long as it was convenient for you, you saw her.”

Gabrielle rolled her eyes at Joshua and addressed Attorney Durk. “Please get to my letter so I can leave. I don't want to be here with these Judases any longer.”

“Her instructions were to read Karen's letter first, then yours in birth order, youngest to oldest. Alice and Joshua, do you mind if I change the order?”

“Not at all,” said Joshua.

Alice tilted her head in consent.

“Before he starts, I have to go back to Grand Oak for my shift. I'm sorry for the confusion all this has caused. I did nothing to coerce or bribe Ms. Mattie. She loved me and I loved her. Plain and simple.”

Karen exited the restaurant as he opened the letter. He cleared his throat and proceeded.

“Gigi: I apologize for enabling you all of your life. You were our first, and Daniel and I wanted to make sure we did everything right with you. The right schools and the right friends. He treated you like gold, and I stood aside and didn't teach you things a mother should teach her daughter. You grew worse after the incident. All these years you've been living on the flowerbeds of Eve, sleeping with other women's men, taking gifts from them, never thinking of the hurt you caused people. You've gotten by on your looks and charm, but no more. At least not on our dime. You no longer have access to my or Daniel's money, and you have thirty days to vacate the house. Since it is in Joshua's name, he will have to see to it that you leave. No grown-ass, forty-nine-year-old woman needs to be living in her parents' house, even if they're both gone. Get you a job, get you a life, and get a man of your own before somebody's wife sends you to a local funeral home.”

Heat tinged her face. She muttered, “How did I let this happen?” Her voice grew louder. “All this mumbo-jumbo apologizing and no mention of how much money she's giving me? I need every dime of that money! How am I going to start over?”

She snatched her purse from the chair and left, ignoring her siblings' calls for her to return.

“Attorney Durk, this is a tad heavier than I expected. Do we have to continue?” Josh asked.

“Yes. It's tough but necessary. I wasn't finished reading to her, though.” He looked at the time, decided his golf game and trip to the beach were a wash. “Let's take a quick break and come back to the table in ten minutes. Fair enough?”

“Deal.” Joshua took Alice's hand and led her outside.

17

A
breeze flowed between them as they stood outside. Joshua stuffed his hands in his pants pockets, rattled change, and chawed on his bottom lip, habits he practiced when nervous.

“I can't believe Gigi,” he said.

“I know. What incident was Mama talking about?”

“I don't know. Something happened when we she was a teen that no one ever spoke of. Mama and Daddy were so tight-lipped about it that I stopped asking over the years.”

She shook away thoughts of her selfish sister. “I can't believe Mama and Daddy. I know we weren't the best children, but I didn't think they'd withhold money from us.”

“I don't need their money.”

“I do. Beryl isn't taking me or the restraining order I have against him seriously. I don't make much at the library and I need to get on my feet.”

“What's wrong with staying at my house?”

“I want my own space. It's something I should have done a long time ago. I feel like this is my punishment for all the money Beryl stole from me.”

“What money?”

She sighed. Her family lost track of their religious affiliations over the years, so she didn't bother telling Joshua about the financial scandal. She knew her workaholic brother probably didn't pay attention to anything other than women or his career pursuits.

“Money went missing through the leaders of our last church.”

“Went missing? You make the money sound like it was a Learjet that flew away.”

“May as well have been. Lots of families are suffering. Some people lost their life savings.”

“Why haven't you pursued getting it back?”

“I am done with Beryl and the money. If starting over with nothing is the route I need to take, that's what I'll do.”

“Let's get back inside. Whenever we see old man Durk in casual attire, it means he's having down time.”

In spite of the day's tension, they managed a small laugh.

He stood as they approached the table again. “I was about to come get you two.”

“No worries. We apologize for Gigi's behavior. She's been on a roller-coaster ride since Mama's disappearance.”

“Understandable. Shall we proceed?”

They nodded. Attorney Durk opened Alice's letter.

“My Baby Girl:

My biggest regret is not spending the last years of my life with you. As much as we tried to snatch you back from Beryl's grip, his influence was too powerful. I watched my bright-eyed, youngest daughter who loved nature, cooking, and fashion waste away in an unloving marriage. Daniel and I tried to be a good example for the three of you, but I guess it's true that children don't always emulate modeled behavior. That's water under the bridge now. When you lived at the house and attended Savannah State, you were a few credits shy of getting your degree. It's time you finish it. You can get financial aid because of your income. Once you get your degree, make sure Durk is aware, and you'll get your inheritance. Daniel and I won't leave you rolling in dough, but you'll have enough to start life anew.”

Alice released the breath she'd been holding. She thought her mother would berate her in the letter, but the compassion with which she wrote made her feel guiltier.

“I don't know where to start.”

“I'll help you, Alice,” said Joshua.

She made a knot on the side of her cotton sundress with her finger. Save church, work, and an occasional drive around the city, she couldn't navigate a college campus again. She'd be the oldest student in the room.

“I don't know if I can do this. Maybe I'm better off without the money.” Synaria's voice lingered in her thoughts.
“The first step is always the hardest.”

“Are you ready, Joshua?”

“As I'll ever be.”

Attorney Durk opened the last letter. It was the longest of the three. He braced himself for Joshua's reaction.

“Dearest Joshua:

I wonder if you know how proud I am of you and your accomplishments. Not so much that you have a fancy title floating behind your name, but you persevered through dyslexia. You gave us quite a scare when you were growing up. It wasn't until Daniel suggested testing that we figured out why you were always transposing letters and numbers. You preferred being alone to being with a bunch of guys. The few friends you made have stuck with you over the years. Oh, remember how you took the SAT three times until you got the score you wanted? That's Benson tenacity! It is the same tenacity I want you to use to get to know your son. That's right, your son. I've suspected over the years you never married because you didn't get over Deborah Sampson. You all were a cute couple when you dated. She broke your heart when she split, but it wasn't entirely her fault. We may as well have been shit on those high-faluting Sampsons' shoes. They didn't feel you were the right kind of man for their daughter. In a moment of fear, she confided her pregnancy in me when she called the house to speak with you. She told me how much she loved you, but couldn't keep seeing you. Her parents had her husband picked out. They made her break up with you, promise to get an abortion, and never speak to you again. She went behind their backs and had the baby anyway. He is your spitting image, only lighter: handsome, charming, and smart. His name is Langston Calhoun and he lives in Atlanta. He has her husband's last name. Over the years she sent pictures and kept me updated, but I told her I'd take the secret to my grave as I promised. I never told your father, either. I know this is a shock, and I hope you can forgive me. Of all my children, you are the one who needs money the least. You do need to get to know your son. Find a way to get to know him. He deserves to have you in his life.”

Joshua repeated the last sentence aloud. “He deserves to have you in his life.” He sat back in his seat. “Deborah Sampson.” He rubbed his head and pondered what might have been if he'd known why she rejected him. “If I could turn back the hands of time.”

“I have a nephew. Somewhere in this world, a young man is carrying our genes,” Alice said to no one in particular.

“Would you like me to help you get in touch with him?” Durk asked.

“I'm not sure. I don't know what to make of this news. I can't go barging into his life, especially if her husband is the only father he's known.”

Durk nodded. “The last order of business is the actual assets.” He waved the legal document in their faces. “This is to be read once you all complete your assigned tasks.” He slipped the letters and paperwork back in his briefcase and stood. “If you two don't need anything else, I'll be leaving now.”

“Thanks for meeting with us. I appreciate everything you've done,” said Joshua.

They shook hands and waited until Durk left.

“What are we going to do?” she asked. Her eyes darted around the restaurant. She wondered if the patrons heard the conversation.

“I am speechless. We need to tell Gigi, but she's so wrapped up in herself she wouldn't believe us. This plan of Mama's will never work unless we work together.”

Alice considered the irony. “Is it me, or do you agree that even in death, Mattie's still calling the shots?”

18

G
abrielle stuffed the last of the boxes in her Mercedes. Her resentment toward her mother grew as she thought of where she'd go. No way was she waiting thirty days to find another place. Colton would understand her plight and assist her. He'd always been so good to her. He finally agreed to see her at two o'clock in Pooler at the Embassy Suites. Maybe he was finally ready to move along with her and dump Roselle.

Attorney Durk was right; there was no money in the accounts. Mattie either moved it or cleaned it out.

“She always plotted against me,” Gabrielle said aloud.

She drove toward Embassy Suites, thoughts of Alice and Joshua crowding her mind. She would be okay if she never saw them again. She visualized Joshua coming to the house with a sheriff, tossing her out and leaving her to fend for herself. Mousy Alice would stand next to him, head bowed and looking stupid, unwilling to defend her.

“Why couldn't I have been an only child?” she said aloud.

None of that mattered. Colton would make a better life for them, set things straight. He made enough money to build a new house far away from the memories of her parents and siblings. Sure, he'd pay alimony to Roselle and support his college-aged children, but that was fair enough. His son and daughter would get used to having a new mother. An attractive stepmother. Why would he want to stay married to that fat pig anyway? She cackled at the memory of Roselle in the thrift shop, barely able to breathe. It was her fault for not satisfying him. Her phone rang, announcing Joshua's call. She answered, frustrated by the sound of his voice filling her car.

“What?”

“Where are you?”