Sunsets and storms ✓

Chapter 47

MEGAN

I have heard a lot of students complain about writing their dissertation but I clearly underestimated how bad it actually was. The Spring semester started only a few weeks ago but I'm already over it. I'm ready to quit, just leave this uni and this goddamn degree behind and work in a coffeeshop for the rest of my life.

This dissertation is slowly killing me, taking a bit more of me every day. I should have chosen a much easier topic. But no, I chose one that my professor was super excited about meaning it's no easy topic. Well, at least by the end I should know more about climate change and nature preservation.

I can't even remember the last time I slept for more than five hours at night. I wake up early to go to the coffeeshop for my morning shift. Once work finishes I have a few hours of lectures to go to and a few more hours of reading and assignments to do. Once I get back home all I have time for is dinner and do research for my dissertation until midnight. It's a good thing Logan offered to make dinner for the both of us every evening otherwise I'd barely eat at all.

I didn't even have time to have a proper date night with Matthew on Valentine's day last weekend. If there's anyone who understands the stress of writing a dissertation, it's him. He went through all of this last year and I know how much stress and anxiety he had because of it. Luckily he didn't seem to mind not going out together but he did convince me to take an evening off and watch a movie together while video calling.

"I come bringing food! You would never believe who I ran into at the store."

Logan drops a bag of groceries and the mail on the counter. I immediately start unpacking the plastic bag. Vegetables for dinner tonight, a four-pack of beers and a whole bunch of snacks. We have the usual crisps, chocolate and brownie ice cream. It looks like it will be a fun night.

"When will you learn to bring a bag to the store with you?"

"Probably never. I never remember in the morning and then when I'm in the store and I have to buy a new plastic one because how else would I get everything home?"

"One of these days I'm going to get you something and you'll never have to buy these damn plastic bags again."

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Now, let's make dinner so we can have ice cream as soon as possible."

"What movie do you want to watch tonight?"

"Oh, there's this new action movie, Evan and Matthew watched it a few days ago and they said it was amazing! Maybe we can watch it as well?"

"Sure, But you'll have to cut the onions."

"Fine! Be like that."

Cooking together with Logan is always fun. We blast a Spotify playlist from the TV's sound system and dance through the kitchen as we chop the vegetables. It's actually a miracle we didn't have any knife accidents yet.

"And to the sofa!" Logan and I have given up on having dinner at the dining table each night. Most nights we end up on the sofa and eat while we watch a movie or a series. We really should look for some new things to watch because I think we've went through our entire list already in the past few weeks.

"God, I'm so tired. I might just fall asleep while eating."

"You should really get a decent night of sleep for once. You don't wave work tomorrow, right?"

"I know, but I have my dissertation research to work on."

"You can work on that tomorrow. Come on, let's clean up and you can call you boyfriend and get to sleep even earlier than my nan."

I know he's right. I have barely been sleeping and I'm grumpy and unproductive when I'm tired but that feeling of my research and my to do list waiting for me is making it impossible to rest.

"Oh, before I forget, you had a letter in the mail. It looks important. I left it by the fruit bowl."

The letter is impossible to miss, a big white envelope with a red logo of some firm in the corner. I rip it open and take out the stack of papers inside. The first words I see are court and Leonora Callas. I steady myself against the wall as I let the reality of this sink in.

I hear Logan calling my name but I barely register it. I look down at the papers again, they are shaking so much I can no longer make out any of the words. My family was a closed chapter of my life. Was.

"Megan. Megan!" My eyes snap up, seeing Logan standing right in front of me. "What's wrong? Megan, talk to me."

I stretch my hand out a little, enough for him to notice the papers in my hand. I follow his eyes as he quickly scans the document.

"She's suing you!? What in heaven's name!" He must see the despair in my eyes because he immediately walks me over to the couch. "Alright, Megan, can you tell me what this is about? What's going on?"

"My grandparents heritage."

"Okay, let me call Matthew, he must know what to do." I can hear Logan talking but I'm too busy looking through the pages filled with legal jargon to listen to a word he says. Why now? Why show up again when I finally had peace?

"Megan, baby, talk to me. Do you want me to drive there? I can call in sick tomorrow."

"No, don't miss work."

"Matthew what should I do? She looks like she was face to face with death itself."

"Call her brother. He must have gotten the same letter. They will have to work together on this. And Megan, don't talk to anyone about this. Only us two and Owen, okay? We will work this out, it will be okay."