Building A (Strange) Family

Reading The Will

After the other guests had left,
Mr. Fischer gathered all the children of the deceased around the table in the dining room.
He told Lilly to bring David.
"He's been a great support animal," he said with a wink to David.

So they sat, David holding Lilly's hand and grinning at her siblings.

"I thought they only did will readings at haunted houses in the movies," David whispered to Lilly.
She rolled her eyes though she smiled.

"I don't think it's haunted, David."

"You've had for vampires living in it for almost a week and you don't think it's haunted?"

She covered her face and couldn't escape the out of place,
exasperated, exhausted giggles they both fell into.
The others around the table glared.

"Your father left this world rather in a hurry," Mr. Fischer began,
politely ignoring David and Lilly.

They sat up at once, paying attention.
David squeezed her hand. He hoped the old dog left her something.

"But in the time we worked on his will, he had time to do some soul searching.
The will reads as you might ask expect..."

Martin got the house, as well as a sizable amount of money.

Shirley, The vacation house in Washington, and a somewhat smaller sum of money.

To Elizabeth and Angela, his Jaguar and the BMW as well as the rest of his money to split.

And to Lilly, if she wanted it, to pick through his keepsakes and take what she liked.

Everyone seemed pleased, even Lilly smiled a little.
It wasn't a lot but, hey! He hadn't just forgotten her.

David just shook his head, disgusted.
He didn't expect much else, but that didn't make it any less awful.

Mr. Fischer continued.

" The will also states,
' however, in the event that my daughter Lilly is single-handedly left with the task of arranging my funeral, as I likely suspect she will, everything goes to her'."
There was a gasp throughout the room.

"He explains,
'My other children are well off enough and if they can't be bothered with me this once, it's high time I stop doing for them. Lilly, forgive my stupidity all these years and enjoying being taken care of by your father for once'."

Mr. Fischer smiled as he straightened out the papers.
There was silence for quite a while, every one of them in disbelief.

Until David started laughing.
He continued to laugh with his head thrown back even as the others started arguing.

"This won't stand in court!"

"How could he!"

"She knew! She never asked for help because she knew!!"

Mr. Fisher shook his head.
"The will was sealed.
Only I knew what was written here and I gave you each the chance, calling on Lilly last.
Not knowing her, I wasn't sure if your father wood be right."

Martin stood up, "But Angela came by a couple days ago to help!"

"Well, i-" she looked at up between her brothers glare and Davids smirk.
Though she feared her brothers wrath, she feared David even more: what he might do if she lied.

"I came by, but I didn't help... Or even offer. I actually added to her work by treating her like a babysitting for twenty minutes..."

David tried to smile kindly at her, appreciating her honesty.
But she still looked none to happy, scared.

Instead, he turned his smile to Lilly
but she just had her head in her hands as she laid her elbows on the table.
She probably hadn't heard anything since , "everything goes to her".

The arguing continued but Mr. Fischer seemed unfazed;
the deal was done, done fairly, and would stand.

David drew Lilly's hand down into his own,
kissing them and then just leaving his forehead against hers.
"Old man finally did right by you..."

Later that night, when everyone was gone,
Lilly had gotten over her shock and couldn't stop moving.

She dragged the guys down to the beach where they lit a huge bonfire and danced around it .

"He said by the end of the week, everything will be in my name! We never have to worry again! I'm buying us all motorcycles!"
She spun till she was dizzy and David reached out to catch her.

Everyone was laughing.

"Lilly, you don't need to waste the money you just got... especially on us!"
Robert insisted, hugging her and lifting her in the air.

She laughed and threw her arms out as he flew a little into the air.

"Oh, maybe you're right. But what good is all this wealth if I cant spoil you guys rotten!"

Despite the chill in the air Mark, Robert,
and Joel ran down to get their feet wet in the surf,
leaving David and Lilly in each others arms and dancing in the fire light.

"Bikes? Really?"

She shrugged, "Oh, why not? There's plenty money for a couple little crazy things... plus, the sales of both the houses."

He stopped moving for a moment to consider her.
"... Sales?"

She nodded.
"This place especially, beach front property, will go for a lot. I don't know anything about the 'vacation home', but-"

"I thought you loved Oregon. You never thought about staying?"

Her jaw dropped. It was as he had shorted out her brain.
Her head turned slowly to the side like a puppy.
He couldn't help but laugh.

"You really never thought about staying? What is in Sacramento that we cant have here?"

It took her a while to think of anything.
"What about Mom?"

"We bring her, if she wants.
If not, you have enough money to visit her once a month if you want."

She hadn't realized he had started swaying with her again, slow dancing in the sand.

"You guys really wouldn't mind moving up here?"

He grinned, pulling her into a kiss.
"Where you go, I go. As for the boys, you'll just have to ask them."