Second Ave Offices: Labor Day (WLW)

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Sitting next to her father's lawyer, Rose Johnson felt her chest tight as she listened to the last of his reading, completely flabbergasted by the words flowing from Josephine's mouth. "...to be divided and sold, or absorbed into Johnson's Handy Home Company." The lawyer pulled her pile of papers up from the conference table and put that of the last into its rightful place, tapping them into a neat stack. She leaned forward with her elbows on the table, zeroing her gaze right at Rose's mother, Bex Johnson, who narrowed her gaze as she also sat forward from across the way. "That should wrap everything up."

"Are you kidding me? What the hell was that?" Bex slammed her fist atop the table and glared at Rose hard enough to make her heart sputter, though she did her best to hide her distaste. It wasn't as though she wasn't privy to her mother's less than stellar opinion of her and she swallowed in anticipation of what might come next. "She's been gone for how many years? How can this stand?"

"Very simply, Mrs. Johnson." Josephine got to her feet and gestured for Rose to do the same with a wary gaze. "Your husband made this agreement with your eldest daughter over a decade ago and notarized it with not only me, but a third party as well who will be taking over the case in lieu of my retirement. There is not much more to discuss at this point without your lawyer. If you decide to proceed with civil court and make a claim against your late husband's will, then contact your lawyer and they will get in touch with my niece-in-law who is taking over my practice. Here is her card."

As soon as she pulled out a business card with a name Rose hadn't gotten to read herself, her mother swiped it away and motioned for her siblings to get up. Her younger brother dropped his head, apparently hiding his face in embarrassment as he made his way toward the door, then peered back over his shoulder rather sympathetically toward Rose. Lucas opened his mouth to say something, but evidently their mother wasn't interested and their middle sister was all in as well.

"Do you actually think I'll stand for this? Any of this?" Bex fussed as she neared the door and Lisa looked over their mother's shoulder with just as much spite.

"You left and never looked back. Why do you even want the company? We were the ones who stuck around and--"

"And this is a matter to be discussed with your lawyer first as I have already explained." Josephine put her hand on Rose's back as she ushered her out of the door on the opposite side of the room. She cordially nodded toward the others and Rose could have sworn she saw a snarl playing at her lips. She had represented her father for the better part of twenty years and was an exemplary woman, so for her to be showing any sign of her less than professional side meant it was time for them all to part ways. "If you need a lawyer, I can recommend--"

"How dare you! Instead of representing the deserter, you should be defending my mother! She was the one married to the man, for Christ's sake!" Lisa spat back, but their mother seemed to have grown quite tiresome as she literally shoved her through the open double doors.

"Mark my words, Rose, you will regret leaving your family destitute. When your brother's illness finally starts showing signs and we cannot afford to take care of--"

"Mom! That's enough. It's not Rose's fault." Lucas dipped his toward her as he latched onto Bex's arm and yanked her from the room. "See you later, Rose. Sorry about all this."

"Did you just apologize to her? What is going through your mind, son?" Her mother finally disappeared with the rest of her family through the open doors and her voice could be heard reprimanding Lucas despite the growing barrier as they walked down the hall.