Dolly (Part three-Max Mitchell series)

ELEVEN

"Ladies and gentlemen we've begun our descent into Alliance municipal airport. Please put your seat backs and tray tables in their upright and locked position."
"Here we go." I groaned quietly, next to Wendy who was peering out the window of the plane.
"There's so much open space!"
"Yes. Farms as far as the eye can see. It's thrilling, I know." I retorted, with an added eye roll for good measure.
"Oh, Max. Its only for the weekend, you'll survive."
"I know. I think I'm still really bothered by the way Tom left the other day."
"Have you talked to him at all?"
"Just once, yesterday. Briefly. It's really unlike him to act this way. I'm hoping he'll come around."
"I'm sure he will. I'll call Luke when we get off the plane...see if he's talked to him."
I let out a deep breath and settled into my seat, and my mom reached from behind me and squeezed my shoulder.
"It's going to be so nice to have both of our girls home again." she squeaked.
"Can't wait, Mom."

My aunt Mary picked us up in my dad's giant truck and started towards the farm. There was literally nothing around worth looking at, so I pulled out my phone to send a text to Tom.

Just got to Alliance.
I miss you like crazy. -Max

I miss you too Maxine-TWH

My stomach heaved a little at the generic response he gave. Maxine? Something was really bothering him. I know better than to read too far into a text message, but his responses were never that terse. The pit of my stomach was tangled up in a knot. I could understand him being bummed out about me going to Nebraska, but this was beyond.

After about thirty minutes of "picturesque" corn field viewing, we made it to my parent's farm in the midst of hundreds of acres of a young crop. It was nearing the end of May, so with warmer temperatures as a promise, the farm was growing healthily.

"Come on, Dolly. You can have your old room."
I climbed the stairs of the hundred-plus year old farm house, to find my room at the top of the stairs nearly the same as when I'd left it when I went off to college. I dropped my luggage unceremoniously on the floor, and walked further into the room, every step making a creak underfoot. The whimsical floral print wallpaper was still there, though it had faded and peeled up in a couple spots. My full sized bed was still made with the creamy pink and ruffled linens I'd always had. Even though I was nearly thirty years old, my old bedroom made me feel like I was transported back to my teenage years.
"It's weird, right?" Tabatha said, quietly, coming to stand next to me in my room.
"It's really weird. Please tell me you're staying here with me."
Tabatha lived in Scottsbluff, which was about an hour away. She'd taken a job at the hospital there, many years prior but was on a leave so she could go on mission trips with my parents.
"As if you'd even let me go home."
"You're right. I wouldn't."

I sat down on the bed, which was right next to a window and pulled back the lace curtain to peek outside. I'd always loved the view from my bedroom window, which faced west and gave me the best view of the setting sun, anywhere. I just wished Tom was there to share it with me. I didn't anticipate needing to make a trip home, and I certainly didn't think I'd do it without him by my side. I felt so unsettled, with the way we'd left things. I needed to call him.
"Tab, could you give me a minute?" I held my phone up and waggled it around in the air.
"Oh, sure. I'll go see what the 'rents are up to...Mom's probably fussing Wendy to death."
I laughed and nodded as she left the room, closing the door.

The phone rang through to his voicemail, only magnifying the worry I held inside of me. After the beep, I left him a message.

"Hi Tom. I just wanted to let you know we've made it to my parent's. Please call me. I'm a mess right now with the way things were when you left New York...I still don't really understand, to be honest. I love you. Whatever it is, we can work through it...cant we? Whenever you want, call me...doesn't matter the time. I love you.....bye."

***

"Dad, is the shed unlocked?"
"Yes, Dolly. Your car is gassed up and good to go. I made sure it was ready for you." he said, and gave me a wink.
"Oh god, you're the best! I'm going into town to meet the lawyer. Hopefully it doesn't take long." I grabbed my keys from the peg by the door, where they always were, and bounded out to the shed. It was still a bit chilly in the morning, so I bundled up since there's no way I'd go for a ride without the convertible down.

My grandpa's trusty old Jag fired up perfectly, just like it always did.
"Hello darling." I said, and ran my hand along the dash, flicking away the faint layer of dust she had collected.
"Shall we?" I said, as I put on my sunglasses and secured my hair in a tight topknot.

My parents live about twenty miles outside of town, so it gave me a good amount of open road to utilize. Considering Nebraska is about as flat as terrain gets, it's perfect for going fast...and my Jag goes fast. Once again, a pang of longing for Tom zapped me. I'd dreamed of bringing him into the shed and unveiling my car that happened to be an almost identical twin to his.
"Next time, baby." I said, patting the gearshift at my right.

***

"Hello, Miss Mitchell. Please come in." James Matney was a local family lawyer that had handled divorces and other things of the like for nearly everyone in town. It seemed so surreal for me to be there, and needing to talk to him. I mentally added it to the growing list of strange things that happened to Max Mitchell.
"I'm going to read over the part of the will that pertains to you, and then I have some things for you to sign. It shouldn't take long."
"Sounds good, Mister Matney. I'm ready when you are."
"Article Two, Money & Personal Property

I, Paul Hess give all my tangible personal property and all policies and proceeds of insurance covering such property, to Maxine Mitchell. If she does not survive me, I give that property to those of my family that survive me. My executors may pay out of my estate the expenses of delivering tangible personal property to beneficiaries.

Article three: Real Estate

I give all my residences, subject to any mortgages or encumbrances thereon, and all policies and proceeds of insurance covering such property, to Maxine Mitchell. If she does not survive me, the property
goes to those of my family that survive me.

Article four: Residuary Clause

I give the rest of my estate (called my residuary estate) to Maxine Mitchell. If she does not survive me, I give my residuary estate to those of my family who survive me, in equal shares, to be divided among them and their descendants."

Um. English would have been nice.

"Mister Matney, with all due respect...none of what you said makes any sense. I'm no lawyer, so you'll have to translate for me."

"Paul was the owner of a number of acres of land, here in Alliance, as well as a farm on his property. It was left to him after his parents passed, and now he's left it to you."
"He willed me his parents farm?"
"So it would seem, along with some life insurance and all of his personal things."
"But what about his sister?"
"She's the executor of his will, but you're to be granted all of the things in it."
I slumped back in the chair.
Brittany is probably pissed.
"Would you like me to take you out to the property?"
"Um. I guess so. Can my sister meet us there?"
"Of course. You'll follow me, then?"

***

After about fifteen minutes of driving northeast out of town, we turned off of the county road onto the property that was apparently about to be mine. It was a whole 'nother set of memories that came flooding back to me as we pulled up to the old, white farm house that looked the same as it did when Paul and I were in high school.

"Max! What the hell is going on?" My sister hollered as she hopped out of my dad's truck.
"Well, Tabatha...It would seem that the Hess farm belongs to me now." I said, and gave her a shell shocked look.
"Whoa." She looked in all directions, using her hand as a visor to shield her eyes from the sun.
"Yeah. Whoa is right."
"Miss Mitchell, here are the keys. Lets finish up this paperwork, and I'll let you get to exploring. The life insurance company will be in contact with you, regarding the payout of funds, and as for the personal belongings, they're all in there." he said, and gestured to the house. He flopped down a file folder on the hood of his car and pointed at the various places for me to sign, and with a few swipes of a pen, I was the owner of a massive amount of land in Nebraska.

Now what?