Awakening

33

"Have a seat, Mr. Lancaster" Sookie said politely

"Thank you" the lawyer said with a small smile, sitting down on the armchair

"Is there a problem with our grandmother's papers?" Morgan asked "we know you've asked for a copy of the deed to the house"

"Oh, no, no, that's all okay" he replied "I have some terrible news, I'm afraid. Your great-uncle Bartlett has passed on. I know it's so soon after your grandmother. This must be quite a shock"

A small huff emitted from Morgan, shaking her head slightly as she leaned back against the couch, looking at the floor. She still remembered what had happened when they were kids, how she would sometimes take Sookie's place, and not willingly, thinking they were lucky that he didn't do anything sexual toward them. All he would do was touch their soft skin and she was thankful he didn't do anything else. She had told Eric about him, but she didn't know that he had gone to his house to kill him, only to find that Bill was about to.

"Tell me what happened" Sookie said, looking at the lawyer

"Well . . . " He trailed off "the Lincoln Parish Fire Department found him a few miles south of Simsboro. He washed up on the shore"

"How did he get all the way down there?" Morgan asked, looking at him as well

"The Walnut Creek runs behind his house" he answered "sheriff's guessing he got too close and fell in. They're calling it an accident, officially. There's no sign of burglary or forced entry at the house, and he was such a sweet old man that there'd be no reason to hurt him, anyway"

Morgan couldn't help but roll her eyes, but the lawyer didn't notice. Sure the old man may have been nice to others, but when he was alone with Sookie and Morgan, it was a whole different story. Sookie looked over at Morgan, who crossed her left leg over her right, resting her hands in her lap,

"There were no marks, or anything on his body?" Sookie asked, looking back toward the lawyer

"Well, there's gators and fish in the water" he answered "and he'd been there for a few weeks, so . . . There's not much of a body to speak of"

"Oh, my God" shock in her voice

"I can't tell you how sorry I am" sincerity in his voice "he was truly a kind, giving man. I was proud to call him my friend. The one consolation, girls, is that your great-uncle Bartlett cared for you deeply. He stated in his will that he wished for you both to inherit all his financial assets" taking out two checks from his briefcase "it's not much, $33,000 near about. But it's a token of how special you were to him" holding them out to the girls "go ahead. Take it. It's yours"

Morgan looked down at the piece of paper for a moment, Sookie slowly reaching out, grasping the one on the right, while the white haired woman grasped the one on the left. She looked at the print on the check, a small huff emitting from her nose, shaking her head slightly at the amount, knowing full well as to why she received twenty-two thousand dollars. Sookie showed the lawyer to the door when he was ready to leave, but Morgan didn't move from her spot, still looking at the print,

"Sissy?" Sookie asked softly, kneeling down in front of her

"Twenty-two thousand" Morgan said "I received more, and I know why" letting out a heavy sigh "I don't want it. Give it to Jason, he needs it more"

"More money would be helpful since you lost your job" placing a hand on her knee "and now you have enough to get your dream car"

"It was already sold to someone else for a higher price" setting the check on the couch "and I already have a new job, at Fangtasia"

"You're working there?" a light sound of disgust in her voice, standing straight

"I get more money" looking at her "more benefits, free drinks" a small chuckle emitting from her "all I'm doing is cleaning up the bar during the day with Ginger, organizing his office every week or every two weeks. That's it. There's nothing to worry about, Sook"

"What about other vampires?" She countered, crossing her arms over her chest, as if she was scolding Morgan

"Do you really think Eric would let another vampire near me?" raising an eyebrow

Sookie went quiet, knowing Morgan had a point, and remembering what happened when she exposed Longshadow for stealing money from the bar. He didn't care about what other people thought, he was quick to pull Morgan out of the way and hold her until they left the room. Could Eric love Morgan? She didn't know, not believing it was possible for Eric to actually love someone other than himself. A small sigh emitted from her nose, playfully rolling her eyes at the smirk on Morgan's lips,

"Give my check to Jason" Morgan said "I don't need it . . and I sure as hell don't want it"

Morgan got up from her spot on the couch, brushing past Sookie and going up to her room, Sookie looking at the check she left behind, knowing full well that she was going to do the same thing. Collapsing back on her bed, Morgan rested her hands on her stomach, letting one leg dangle off the side with her other leg bent. Her gaze was to the ceiling, thinking about the events that happened in the past month, all of the death in Bon Temps, still trying to figure out how the hell she killed Rene, but nothing made sense in her mind. Every time she would try to think about it, her migraine would get worse, and they have been for the last couple days, the only time she didn't feel them was when she ate a truffle and went to sleep. But she always had a smile on her face to hide her pain, not telling anyone about the worsening migraines, not even Eric or Raven. She didn't want them to know. She don't want them to worry.