Forbidden

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Olivia let the day go by in a haze, no longer worried and feeling like she had been set free. She was upset that Nick had to resign from a career he had worked so hard for but her father had known somehow that all of this would happen and he had lined up a job for Nick. He’d be able to get by and pay his bills and then some until he found another job teaching.

            Olivia had decided to not tell everyone else at school who had given her the ring but she was so glad that Liz knew, that Marshall knew and that Mr. Landry knew and even approved of it just like her father had. She wondered if she should try to make it work with Liz at least until graduation or if she should pack up her belongings and move in with Nick. She decided she’d talk to him about it when she got to his house. As she was driving away from the school, her cell phone rang and the caller I.D. showed a number she hadn’t noticed.

“Hello?”

“Yes, could I please speak with Olivia Chandler?”

“This is she.”

“Hi, Olivia. I don’t know if you remember me or not, but I’m your father’s attorney.”

“Oh, right. Of course I remember. Mr. Hamilton, right?”

            He chuckled a hoarse laugh, giving away that he had started smoking when he was only thirteen.

“Right. Listen Olivia, I hate to do this at such short notice but are you busy right now?”

            Olivia had been on her way to Nick’s house but she knew it could wait if need be.

“No, what can I do for you?”

“Could you come over to my office? I share the same building as your father so I’m sure you remember how to get here.”

“Of course. I can be there in fifteen minutes,” she replied as she looked at the clock on her dash.

“Alright, great. I’ll see you shortly, then.”

            Olivia hung up and turned around in someone’s driveway and headed the opposite direction towards the city. She called Nick to tell him that her father’s attorney wanted to speak with her and that she’d be over afterwards.

            Olivia parked in the parking garage and made her way across the street to her father’s old office building and pushed through the revolving doors like she had done a million times before. She took the elevator to the eleventh floor and walked towards reception to let them know she had an appointment with Mr. Hamilton. Everyone in the office crowded around Olivia, giving her familiar hugs and she was offered coffee a handful of times before the excitement of her arrival finally died down.

“Olivia, he’ll see you now,” Melissa said. Melissa had been her father’s receptionist for years and she always secretly hoped that maybe her father would leave Liz for Melissa. She had beautiful curly red hair that fell in the middle of her back. She reminded Olivia of Julia Roberts, with the striking model-like appearance.

“Olivia! Come in, come in! It’s been quite some time, hasn’t it? You’re holdin’ up a’right I hope?”

“Better than to be expected actually,” she smiled.

“Great. I’m so glad to hear that, honey. Please, have a seat and I’ll get all this paperwork together.”

            Olivia did as she was told and sat down on the cool black leather chair. The scent of the office brought back so many memories for Olivia and she remembered her father always smelling the way the office did when he came home. It smelled of oak and peppermint, a delicious combination.

“Alright. Now, I didn’t want to do this over the phone, and I was asked to keep this hush hush from your mother so if you decide to mention it to her, that’s your decision, okay?”

“Okay,” she answered back. “What is this about? Does someone need to clear out his office?”

            Mr. Hamilton smiled kindly.

“No darlin’. Everything of that sort has been taken care of. This is about us takin’ care of you.”

            Olivia looked at the short bald man in a questioning way, which he quickly picked up on.

“I’ll just get right to it. Your father had a trust fund in your name. For all your life since the day you were brought into this world. I’m sure your mother probably hasn’t talked finances with you but you probably knew that your father had drawn up a will, right?”

“Yeah, I knew he had one, but I’ve never seen it.”

“Well, your mother was of course left the house and a good lump sum of money to get her through for the rest of her life. Your father wanted to make sure you both were taken care of.”

            Olivia snorted. Of course Liz got money. That’s probably all she had been after all along. She shifted in her seat waiting for Mr. Hamilton to continue. He slid her a piece of paper across his desk and she reached for it and began skimming it with her eyes when she finally reached the bottom of the legal document. If her throat hadn’t become so dry, she was certain she would’ve choked on her spit.

            Mr. Hamilton laughed as if knowing why she was so surprised.

“Yes. You’re reading that correctly.”

“How? What? What am I supposed to do with all of this?” she asked seriously.

“School, buy a house, invest it, whatever you can dream. The sky is the limit. It’s yours.”

            Mr. Hamilton put all of Olivia’s paperwork in a yellow envelope and thanked her for her time.

“Don’t forget to remind Nick that he has a spot here waiting on him per your father’s request. He can come in anytime.”

            Olivia smiled brightly.

“Thank you Mr. Hamilton. I mean it.”

            Olivia practically ran to the parking garage and was out of breath by the time she reached her vehicle and she fumbled in her purse for her phone. Nick answered almost immediately and Olivia tried to remain as calm as she could.

“Hey, I’m leaving the attorney’s office now. You want me to pick up something to eat?”

“No, darlin’, I’ve got somethin’ planned anyway. How’d it go over there?”

            Olivia smiled and lowered her sunglasses over her eyes.

“It went great.”