Another Time, Another Place

I nodded with a smile. “Everyone seemed fine with the appointments.” I bit my lip. “Except for Victor. Your son never has liked me too much. He didn’t say a single word to me the whole time.”

Mr. Rayman looked solemn as he bent his head. “He’ll come around. The world is changing, and we all need to embrace new things. I appointed you both, because you bring so much talent to our board. Victor is a physician in Burlington. You’re an attorney, here in Sapelo.” He smiled proudly. “I believe your collective ideas and energy will be good for the company.”

“I brought the file for your Will and Testament, Mr. Rayman,” I said, carefully placing it on his lap.

He put his hand over the file. “Jasmine, I’ve thought long and hard about these changes, but I still need your opinion on how to proceed.”

I folded my hands. “Yes, Mr. Rayman, I’m listening.”

He took a deep sigh as he rested his head against the headboard. “In the event of my death, I will need someone to manage the reading of my wishes efficiently. My family does not know about some of the revisions, and will not know until the reading is rendered. Emotions may run high, and I want to make sure order can be restored.” He coughed. “Do you…do you understand?”

“Yes, Mr. Rayman,” I said as I poured him a glass of water from the crystal pitcher.

I handed him the glass. “Do you have reservations about me handling the reading?”

He took a long sip, then handed the glass back to me. “Normally, I wouldn’t. You’re competent counsel. I know you’d do a fine job.” He shook his head slowly. I frowned, confused by his hesitation. He gripped the folder in his hand. “The contents of the will affect many people, including you.”

I placed my hand on my chest. “Me?”

He nodded. “Jasmine, I’ve asked Jake Rogers, who you know as company counsel, to read the will, with you present.”

I moved closer to the bed, placing both hands on his. “Mr. Rayman, Jake has a fine reputation, and we get along well.” I raised my shoulders. “I just don’t understand why you’ve asked him to conduct the reading.”

He looked at me, apprehension evident from the creases to his brow. “There is one section in the will that might present a challenge, if you were reading it. The section that lists the heirs of my estate.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Sir?”

“Your name will be included on that list. Jasmine, you are my daughter.”

My lips trembled. This great fortress of a bedroom suddenly felt like a coffin, cutting off my airway. I stood up fast, gasping for air.

“Jasmine, please sit down.” He raised his weak arm in the air, attempting to reach for me. I shook my head violently, backing far away from the bed, over to the large windowsill. Hard rain tapped against the pane as I stared at this man in disbelief.

Finally, my emotions poured out. “Why!” I wailed. “Why did you keep this from me?” I paced the floor, holding my head in my hands.

“Jasmine, please hear me out,” he said, his voice faltering. He motioned for me to come closer. I stood still, fuming as tears trailed my cheeks. “Please sit down.”

Every step closer to the chair felt like lead, weighing down my feet. I stood paralyzed in front of him. His tears ran as fast as mine. “I know I should’ve told you years ago, but I wasn’t ready for you and my family to feel shame. There was so much racial tension in the world, back when you were born. I didn’t want trouble brewing on the island, causing scandal and embarrassment for everyone.”

I laughed, rearing my head back. “You wanted to save your precious reputation, Mr. Rayman.” I waved my hands. “No one could know about the generous tobacco farmer turned fortune king, fathering a child out of wedlock. All hell would break loose, if anyone knew you’d been unfaithful to your precious Marilyn.”

“Jasmine, I made a mistake, and…”

“Yes,” I interrupted. “And that mistake was me…your competent counsel, bastard child!”

His face reddened, distraught by my hurt. “Jasmine, I would say I’m sorry a million times, if I thought it would ease your pain…but I know it would not. You have always mattered to me. I believe the bond we have as business associates is just as strong as a father/daughter bond.”

“How would you know? You never gave me a chance to be your daughter. I respected you, and I loved you as client. I believe that love could have blossomed even more, had I known the truth. You banished that opportunity, so your family wouldn’t be dishonored. Did you think hiring me as counsel would make amends for your betrayal?”

He took a breath and clasped his hands. “Please, Jasmine, don’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you. I’m disappointed. You are facing your last days, trying to clear your conscience, while I’m sitting here, wondering how my heart still beats from all the turmoil I’ve endured.”

“Jasmine, I did what was best at the time.”

“Mr. Rayman, you did what was best for you. You swept an affair under the rug, denied a child, and decided to go about business as usual. Maybe if I was simply your attorney, I would have said, good decision. But as a woman who cried her eyes out, longing to know who her parents were, you made a horrendous error.”

He was silent as I walked back over to the windowsill, staring at the falling rain.