CHAPTER I
Standing in front of her new inheritance, Catlin stared with awe. The seaside mansion, with its perfect landscape, was almost overwhelming. A path had been naturally created among the rocks that provided a walkway from the mansion to the water, appearing as stepping stones. The gentle splashing on shore was mesmerizing. Her reality became a haze as memories of her past flooded her.
***
The chlorinated water felt refreshing as she dived in, after making sure no one was in the vicinity. Looking down at the familiar light blue reflection, she kept her focus on her breathing and heart rate. The sound of her arms progressively splashing was amplified by the water. Instinctively, she turned her body right and continued to make laps around the pool.
Thoughts of her physical success saturated her mind. Not paying attention to anything else, she didn’t notice someone calling her name from only fifteen feet away.
“Cat---lin!”
Her head snapped out of the water, air temperature fogging her goggles. She took them off and rubbed her eyes. Blinking, she opened them and they began to focus on an average-looking older man, with a slender build and a slight beer gut.
“Oh, hey Dad,” she started. “What’s -?” She stopped abruptly. This wasn’t the normal, cheery Dad. It wasn’t the Dad that always had something positive or encouraging to say. Something was wrong. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was unkempt. Catlin failed while trying to block out what she knew was coming.
“Catlin…” he began.
“…What?” she tried, tears beginning to well up. She started to choke as she braced herself for what she knew was coming.
“It’s Nanna…”
“What about Nanna…?” There was a long pause.
“Catlin, honey… Nanna passed away late last night.”
Most of what happened after that was a miasma. Catlin thought she must have been in a serious state of shock. But all she could remember was sorrow and remorse from the moment she saw her grandmother until after the funeral, when the immediate shock had dissipated. She regretted not being able to say goodbye. And even more guilt appeared after she found her grandmother’s will. It gave instructions as to what was to be done with all of the possessions that she owned. All of her money was to be distributed among her children. Her car was to be given to the first-born.
But as Catlin read the rest of it, she saw her own name at the very bottom, which alone caused the emptiest of spots to emerge from nothingness. Catlin was now the sole owner of her grandmother’s seaside home and of three million dollars from the money of the estate. She collapsed. If only she had been there with Nanna, she wouldn’t be experiencing this guilt-imbued void consuming her.
***
An abrupt vibration in her side snapped Catlin back to reality. She reached for her cell phone instinctively. Staring inquisitively at the number on the caller ID, she flipped it open.
“Hello,” she answered casually.
“Hey, Caitlin,” said the voice of the attorney through the receiver. “How are you today?”
She pursed her lips in annoyance. “For the third time, Mr. Parker, it’s Catlin. Not Caitlin. And I’m just fine.”
She heard the sound of him wincing over the phone. “Sorry,” he responded. “Would it be alright if I just called you ‘Cat’?”
