The Gift

Disclosure

Emily sat quietly in her small room overlooking the orphanage's grounds. She had set her book down and was about to help get the children ready for dinner when a gentle knock came at her door.

"Come in", she cheerfully called.

A young girl entered and gave Emily a letter. She looked at it, placed it on her desk and accompanied the girl to the dining hall. During dinner, she was busy making sure the seven children in her section had washed and had enough to eat. Then she took them outside to play games before getting them ready for bed. Emily tucked each one in and spent a few minutes quietly talking to them before she read another chapter to them. 

After this she strolled the grounds with some of the others who worked at the orphanage before returning to her room, showering, and getting herself ready for bed. It was only then that she remembered the letter. She walked to her desk and sat staring at it, No address just her name and the name of some meaningless person in the upper left-hand corner seeming to state it was from some sort of legal person. She was about to toss it away thinking it was some sort of advertisement. But she stopped halfway to the trashcan and slit open the thin envelope. Inside was a short typed letter with a business looking heading. Opening the envelope she took out the one sheet of typed paper with the heading:

JACKSON & JACKSON ATTORNEY'S AT LAW

Dear Miss Parsons,

We are writing to you on behalf of our client, who wishes at this time to remain anonymous. We are planning to travel to your location to discuss the terms of our client's will. I can say that you are the sole beneficiary of this will. Our address and phone numbers appear at the bottom of this letter and we wait for you to contact us at your earliest convenience. 

Emily read the letter three times. Then sat staring at it as if it were going to burst into flame any second and she would wake up from some weird dream. 

In the morning she took the letter to Mrs. Parks, the headmistress, and showed it to her. 

"What should I do?, Emly asked.

After reading the letter Mrs. Parks said, "We need to contact these people and see if they are telling the truth and if they are, have them come here. Mr. Dean will join us if that happens. You should not be alone with these people until we get to the bottom of this matter."

Emily went to the phone and dialed the number on her letter.

After a few rings, a woman answered and said, "This is the law offices of Jackson and Jackson. May I help you?"

Emily replied, 'Yes. I am Emily Parsons and I got a letter that seems to have come from your office. CAn you tell me about this?"

The woman on the other end of the line said, "I am Janet. I am their secretary and they are expecting your call. Just a moment, please."

A few seconds later and male voice came on the line saying, " I am Charles Jackson and we are happy you called. We are prepared to come to you tomorrow to read the will and make any provisions you deem necessary. Will this be alright with you?"

Yes, I have already spoken to both Mrs parks and Mr. Dean and they will join me to advise me. I hope this is OK?"

"That will be perfectly normal under thee circumstances. Shall we say 10 AM?", came the reply.

Emily said this would be fine and would not interfere with her duties at the orphanage. 

After hanging up Emily stared at the phone as if it were a live thing and was going to walk away. She turned to Mrs. Parks and Mr. Dean and related what she heard and everyone agreed this would be best to get this over with and find out what this was all about. 

The next morning Emily stood by the front window looking at the driveway when a long black limousine drove in precisely at 10. Two men and a woman got out. The two men were identical twins. Emily opened the front door and greeted them saying, "Hello, I am Emily Parsons. Thank you for coming."

The two men introduced themselves as Charles and Joesph Jackson and the woman and miss Martin their legal secretary. 

Emily showed them into the library where she introduced them to Mrs. parks and Mr. Dean. Everyone sat around a table set with water glasses. Along the sideboard was a selection of cookies. Mr. Dean explained that the children of the orphanage made these treats since we were having company today. Everyone took several and regained their seats.

Miss Martin exclaimed how good the cookies were.

Mrs. Parks said, "We appreciate your coming all this way to see Emily but frankly we are not exactly sure what this is all about except a vague reference to a will."

Joesph opened a folder and said, "We are the attorneys for a very wealthy man who passed away suddenly and left a will. We were instructed to find if there were any legitimate heirs to his estate and our findings show that a Miss Emily Parsons is the sole heir, Thus, we have come here to read the will and pass any estate holdings over to her for her to decide their disposal or use. 

Miss Marine handed one of the men a folder.

As he opened an envelope he said, "I will now read the porion he will that pertains o Miss Parsons."

With the envelope's contents before him, he began to read, "this is the last will and testament of Jonah McAllen.

I leave the following property real and financial to my only living relative Emily Parsons located at the Sett Home orphanage, This includes both the apartment in New York City and the house located near Southeast, Maine. There will also be a $1,000,000 fund to be used as needed to renovate and/or repair these properties as Miss Parsons deems necessary or needed. Both properties come with housekeepers whose salaries, taxes, including all necessary insurances for the next five (5) years." He paused while Emily sat there dumbfounded.

He continued, " Included with this bequeath is a trust fund totaling $75,812,368.45 to be used as needed for Emily's expenses or schooling as she sees fit. The Firm of Jackson and Jackson will act as overseers to ensure she is not taken advantage of." 

The other brother said, " There are several papers for your to sign Miss Parsons. These will be witnessed by Mrs. Parks and Mr. Dean. We shall have Miss Martin notarize these and this will conclude the legal portion of your visit. However, there are several non-legal points to go over regarding Mr. McAllen's wishes. These include but are not limited to the two properties in question. As well as several other properties that Mr. McAllen owned but are used as rental properties. While the income from these properties is substantial Mr. McAllen desires that all income above maintenance expenses be turned over to several New York City charities listed on the accompanying pages. Again our firm will handle all legal and money transfers as stipulated by Mr. McAllen.  Are there any questions?"

Emily sat there for several minutes before speaking. She said, "You all have dropped what amounts to a bomb into my quiet life here at the orphanage. I have to think about all this and would it be possible for you to return here in two days after the shock of this has had a few days to sink into my mind. In the meantime, I would appreciate any information,  including pictures, of the two properties in question that I seem to be the sole owner of?"

Miss Marin opened another slim folder and handed Emily several pictures of he properties she now owned.

Everyone stood and said their goodbyes and the two lawyers said they would return in two days at this same time.