Gathering Water

Chapter Three+Four

I was a little naïve in thinking my new life would start the very next day. There were way too many things to work out. Taking Margaret up on her offer to stay a couple extra weeks, I spent that time getting everything in order with her help, which was amazing. She went through all the papers in the folder Sara gave me, and even assisted me in making a to-do list for before I left.

Updating my birth certificate was less painful than I thought it was going to be, though I did have a little panicked moment since it meant I could also change my last name from 'Doe' (Jane Doe) to 'Deare'. Since I'd never had one, I ended up just making Doe my middle name, though, in hindsight, Della Doe Deare is kinda silly sounding.
Either way, it was exactly sixteen days later when I found myself in coastal North Carolina walking into the East Carolina Bank where my mother's safety deposit box was held. Margaret had convinced me to call and make an appointment first, and I was planning on asking for more information on whom to contact while I was there, since I had no idea how to claim the rest of my inheritance.

I had paid an exorbitant amount of money for the taxi that had brought me there from the Norfolk airport, and felt a little awkward standing in the bank wondering who to talk to with two mismatched suitcases and the bright orange duffel bag I used as my carry-on. I didn't feel that way for long before a man smelling of cigars walked up to me and introduced himself.
"You would be Della, right? I'm John McCay, the lawyer for your momma's estate." He held out a hand for me to shake. "Ed gave me a call and told me you would be here right about now. Why don't we go on back and meet with him?" Before I had the opportunity to say anything, he grabbed the handle to one suitcase and started walking toward the offices. Following him seemed like the best idea, so I did.

It turned out Ed was not only the bank manager, but also Mr. McCay's cousin, which explained how he knew who to call about the estate.

"Now, Della, I hope you don't mind, but I asked John to be present here for this. Since we didn't know Gabby had a daughter, or that she had passed away, I figured having your lawyer here would be the best way to go about things. You have the paperwork proving you are who you say you are, right?"

I was a little confused by Mr. McCay being called my lawyer, but didn't balk at his presence, especially if it meant he was going to explain what he said about not knowing my mother was gone. Ed had made my life a little easier, and it was just one less thing I would have to deal with by myself that day. I handed over the file that had my mother's death certificate, the police report, and my now updated birth certificate and identification. The two men took a few minutes going over everything, and when they were finished, their rather similar blue eyes had softened considerably as they looked at me.

"You were raised in the foster system?" The lawyer, John, asked.

"Yes."

"And no one knew who your momma was until a few years ago?" This was from Ed.

"That's what I've been told. I didn't find out anything until a few weeks ago when I turned eighteen." They both exchanged a weighted look, seeming surprised by the reports.

"Mr. McCay, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Certainly not, dear." He smiled a little at his small pun on my new name.

"I was told Gab—my mother's family had been notified when they identified her. If you are the lawyer for her estate, then why do you seem surprised by this? Wouldn't you have also been told? Wouldn't I have been contacted soon anyway about all this since I've turned eighteen?" I didn't know why the two McCays before me seemed so surprised by the reports.

"Well, one would think so. In fact, I didn't know anything about any of this until my cousin here called me up and told me about you. I had been under the impression no one knew what happened to your mother after she ran off all those years ago. I certainly didn't know she was pregnant when she left or that she had passed away. If I had, I can assure you we would have tried to get in contact with you."