Loving Wright

Chapter 37: Decisions

Eli...

I was sitting at my father's desk, staring at the blank piece of paper. Did they really expect me to do this after all that happened this week?

It's been the absolute worst.

I didn't know I could feel this much sadness and anger at the same time.

Things went at warp speed once I got off the phone with Angela while at Kendra's place. My father wasn't dead, but he was damn close. I had to go home.

I apologized to Kendra immensely, but she understood. Even though I didn't tell Kendra who my father was, I did tell her he was sick, and she understood that I needed to be there. Even if it meant that our plans to tell Kyle about us had to be put on hold and I couldn't give her the kiss goodbye that I wanted.

By the next night, I was in Virginia, sitting at my father's bedside with my mother and sister. He spoke with us, trying to be in good spirits, but we could see the life leaving his body.

Two days later, I watched him take his last breath.

Now, a few days before the funeral, I was sitting at his desk, in his home office, trying to find the perfect words for the eulogy.

My father wasn't a bad man, he was the best honestly. But I didn't realize how hard it was to find the right words. Kendra would know exactly what to say.

Kendra.

I thought of her a lot this week. I thought about the feelings for her, our relationship, and how this new development might change things.

The expectation of taking up the mantle from my dad was always there, and I have always tried to fight it. But the sicker my father got, the closer the time came to make a decision. Now it was here and I was torn. Especially after my father's dying words to me.

"Protect my legacy."

I wanted to make my father proud, I wanted to make sure that all his hard work didn't go to waste. But I didn't want to give up my life as I knew it. I couldn't bear thinking about giving up my dreams. With my father's company meeting coming up soon, I'd have to make a decision. Quick.

One thing was for sure though. It didn't matter what decision I made, I would have to tell Kendra who I really was. As a journalist, news about my decision, whatever it was, would get to her soon enough. She would be angry with me, for sure, but I'm hoping that once she realizes that I'm not like her ex, we would be fine.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard whispers coming from behind the door, in the hallway. I couldn't tell who they were from and decided to go investigate.

"I had a lot of fond memories of dad in here," said the voice.

"It's a shame that I couldn't have the same," said the other.

"Don't worry son. In a few days, it will be ours again."

"Not these fools," I whispered to myself.

The voices on the other side were of my uncle Charles and his son David, the family members that were trying to take the family fortune from me.

Uncle Charles and his son looked nothing alike. My uncle had blond hair with patches of gray, a narrow face, and that odd witch-looking nose. His son had a head full of black hair, and a much wider face and nose. David towered over his father, and much more well built. The only thing that stopped you from questioning the paternity was those green eyes that they shared, a trait that was always used to spot the "Grant boys" back in the day. I could imagine the whispers when people back then saw my grandfather's black son with those same eyes. They might have completely lost it if they saw mine.