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reading, “I hereby turn
over the Vanderson estate, which includes my house and the remainder of my
wealth, to Julian Rowell. Before making a decision in how to deal with this, as
I know very well she will refuse, I ask that Julian please reside in the house
for at least one month. During that time, I implore her to develop an
understanding of the family business with the help of Beverly, as well as try
to establish a relationship with her sister. If after that time Julian still
wishes to deny her inheritance then she can do whatever she desires with the
entire Vanderson estate, but she cannot turn it over to anyone in the family,
not to Marlene, or her sister. And not even to you, Beverly. I trust Julian
will make the right decision based on her heart and not by anyone’s influence.
Signed, Mr. Cole Vanderson.”
    “No!” Mackenzie and Mr. Monroe shouted
in unison.
    “What!” Marlene screamed. She shot up
from the sofa. “He left it all to HER ?” she pointed a trembling,
manicured finger at me. Her eyeballs expanded as if they were about to pop out
of her head.
    “That can’t be,” Mackenzie shrieked. “It
must be a mistake. Let me see that!” She snatched the will from Mr. Cornwell
and re-read it.
    Finally, Mackenzie peered up from the
paper. Her eyes watered and her face twisted so much I thought she was going to
change into a green monster.
    She jumped up from the sofa and stood
beside her mother, pointing at me. “You tricked him!” No, not at me. She was
aiming at Aunt Bev.
    “Stop it, right now!” Aunt Bev demanded.
“I did no such thing.”
    The room filled with silence. Everyone
kept their gaze on me. I wanted to dispute the will, to ask Mr. Cornwell for a
way to turn the estate over to Mackenzie fast. But I couldn’t utter a word. My
head felt dizzy and my eyes blurred.
    I pried my hand away from Aunt Bev’s and
got up from the sofa, only to find myself stumbling down to the floor. I closed
my eyes and wished this was just a bad dream, that when they’d open again, I’d
be back in my grungy Manhattan apartment. Only there was nothing but darkness
as I drifted away from them all.
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Six

     
    When I woke up ,
I was convinced I’d dreamt it all. That maybe without realizing, I’d hoped my
father had left it all to me. I mean, there was no way he would do that. It was
too crazy.
    I released a titter and rolled over onto
my side. Aunt Bev was peering down at me, a somber look on her already feeble
face. This wasn’t a dream or my imagination gone wild. This madness was very
much real.
    “Are you all right?” she asked, stroking
my forehead lightly.
    Easing up, I rested my back against the
headboard. The shocking news started to play over in my mind. I wondered about
my father’s intentions, making such a decision. Did he feel obligated to give
me everything out of guilt?
    “I’m good,” I finally said.
    My cell phone started to vibrate. It was
still in my purse, which was tucked inside my travel bag on top of the table
next to the bed.
    Aunt Bev eased away and started towards
the door. “You should answer it. Someone’s been calling you persistently all
evening.”
    I wanted to ask her about my father, if
she knew why he gave me the estate. Only Aunt Bev was too swift. She was out
the door before I could mutter a word.
    Slipping out of bed, I went over to the
table and answered it. “Mom, listen—”
    “Jules, where are you?” she demanded.
Her voice was frantic. The words started to fly out all at once. “Did you have
the phone on silent or something? I’ve been calling you for more than three
hours now. Anyway, I need to know what time you want me to pick you up at Penn
Station.” She finally took a breath. “Then we can get your stuff out of the
apartment before your landlord throws them out.”
    I swallowed and built up my nerve. “Mom,
you’ll never believe what happened.” Starting from the beginning, I explained
everything. When I finished, Mom