She needed Grandma Sarah.
Jenny had Luke. Belle had Emily. Sam had Sam.
Sue used to have Sarah.
And…there were two extra packets on the table, in addition to Sue’s. What was that about?
The door to the room opened again. Sue recognized Stan. She’d met him once; she’d joined Grandma for lunch a couple of years ago after Sarah had had an appointment with the lawyer. They’d all walked out of this high-rise building together.
She’d have smiled, greeted him, in spite of the heaviness of her heart, except that…Stan wasn’t alone. Staring, she tried to make sense of the presence of the two men entering right behind her grandmother’s lawyer.
What were Joe and his dad doing there? Looking for someone? An attorney associate, perhaps?
“Good morning, everyone. Good, you’re seated. Going over the information.” Stan spoke quickly. Too quickly. “Gentlemen, have a seat.” He pointed from Joe and his father to the empty couch. “Can I get anyone coffee?”
Joe’s father sat. Joe stood behind him. Next to Sue.
“What’s going on?” she whispered.
Uncle Sam, his jaw tight, stared suspiciously at the newcomers. “Stan? Is there some mistake here?”
“No, Sam. This is Adam Fraser and his son, Joe. Sarah asked that I contact them to be here this morning.”
Sue and Belle exchanged a glance. Luke and Jenny opened their packets. Emily studied the one she’d yet to open. Sue could feel the tension tightening her body and stealing air from the room. If this Adam Fraser guy got anything from Grandma, Uncle Sam was going to cause one hell of a scene.
One of his worst nightmares since Grandpa died was that some freeloader would take advantage of Sarah.
And from what Sue knew of Adam Fraser, he fit the freeloader bill.
Oh, God, please. Enough is enough. No scenes between my uncle and my boss today okay?
And while she was asking, she sent up a quick request for brevity. Her minutes with Camden were ticking away.
Not to mention divvying up Grandma’s stuff just seemed so…barbaric. Heartless.
Divvying up her stuff made her seem…gone.
“So—” the lawyer adjusted his gray-and-white-striped tie as he sat, keeping on the gray jacket that perfectly matched his pants “—let’s get started, shall we?” He glanced at Joe and Sue. And at the empty spaces on the couches. “Shall I get a couple more seats?”
“No,” Sue and Joe answered simultaneously.
Sue added, “I’m fine. I prefer to stand.”
Everyone in the room was looking at her and Joe.
She’d made it through four years of high school as best friends with Joe Fraser without ever having to introduce him to her family. And four days after she did introduce him, he’d showed up in a very private family meeting.
It was like something from The Twilight Zone.
“I’m good, too,” Joe said. And Sue wondered what he was really thinking behind that cool facade.
She tried to focus on anything but Grandma being gone. And Camden going.
She wondered who Rick Kraynick was and what emergency he had that he thought she could help with.
And she remembered she needed diapers.
Stan had them all open their documents. Adam handed one set back to Joe and one to Sue. Neither bothered opening them. The lawyer started to read—legal stuff about the history of last wills and testaments, about the sound minds of Sarah and Robert as they’d drawn up their bequests. About probate and executors. And then, so calmly Sue almost missed it, he announced that he’d been named as executor of Sarah Carson’s will.