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an antique book.” The man turned and began sliding
paperwork into his leather mailbag. “You will receive several
certified letters over the next few weeks. You will need to provide
wiring instructions, and/or authorize the numerous accounts to
remain as is with the necessary ownership changes.” The attorney
turned to face Ryan. “I would also recommend you get yourself a
good tax attorney.”
    Ryan turned the envelope over in her hands.
It was heavy. “I’m sorry, what?”
    The man smiled. “I don’t think you understand
what’s happened here today, Ms. Myers.” The man reached for Ryan’s
hand, his slim fingers encircling hers. “You’ve just inherited over
twenty million dollars, and that doesn’t include the five
properties. In total -” The man looked out of the corner of his
eye, clearly adding numbers up in his head. “Nearly fifty million
dollars.”
    Ryan was, once again, rendered speechless.
She knew her family was wealthy, but it had always been considered
in poor taste to discuss actual numbers. That, and the fact she had
disassociated from the family before she would have had to know the
financial details, made the number the attorney now gave her all
the more surreal.
    “I - I had no idea.” Ryan felt sick to her
stomach. She hadn’t wanted any of her mother’s money, and the
obligations and responsibilities that came with it. It would seem
though, in spite of Ryan’s best efforts, her mother had managed to
snare her anyway.
    “I wouldn’t generally say this, but having
spoken with Karen on several occasions, and -” The man hesitated
before continuing. “And knowing a bit about you and she’s
situation, Karen had confided in me her hopes that you would put
the money to practical and philanthropic uses.”
    Ryan’s eyes shot up to Mr. Johannes’ face.
“What?”
    The man shrugged, and took a step toward the
door. “She said you were the most decent of the lot, and would make
something out of yourself.” The attorney left the room, and a
stunned Ryan.
    Ryan’s knees buckled and she sat with a plop on the Queen Anne style chair. Her mother had always
been so critical of her. Even as a child, she was constantly being
reminded of the importance of appearance, manners, and breeding. In
return, and in spite of her best efforts, Ryan had always felt she
fell short in her mother’s expectations.
    In the end, her mother had chosen to hold her
above the whirl and wrath. She recognized her not only as her
daughter, but as a person capable of something good and right. Ryan
knew, in that moment, she had no real idea what her mother had
endured, and they had treated each other badly. It was as much
because of Ryan’s ignorance of her mother’s life as it was her
mother’s willful disregard of Ryan’s.

     
     

Chapter 3
    Ryan sighed heavily as she sank down into her
window seat on the Baltimore bound train. She looked around, half
expecting to see Leah. In spite of the absurdities of the past four
days, Ryan’s mind still wandered to the beautiful blonde, and her
connection to her family.
    Looking down at her lap, Ryan turned the
large manila envelope over. Her name was scrawled across the front
in her mother’s meticulous script. Now’s as good a time as
any.
    Running her index finger under the fold of
the envelope, Ryan opened it and pulled a brown leather bound book
from inside. The book was worn along the spine, and a thin leather
band was wrapped around the center of the book to keep it
closed.
    Arching her eyebrow in curiosity, Ryan turned
the book over. The smoothness of the leather and its weight made it
feel substantial in her hands. Her fingers trembled as she
struggled to untie the knot in the leather band, and she stopped,
flexing them several times before continuing.
    It’s not the secrets of the universe, for
heaven’s sake. It’s probably family recipes. How to get the perfect
pie crust. That sort of crap.
    Ryan took several breaths, and finally
managed to get the