The Gift

PREPARING

Emily sat for a few minutes before she said, "Mrs. Parks and Mr. Dean I want to thank you for being here with me. As you can imagine this is a shock and I am not sure what to do, She opened another small envelope that she was given and this contained two sets of labeled keys with the addresses printed on the labels. I guess I should see what this is all about and talk to them once more. But I would like two of my friends to go with me. It seems that I have lots of money so this will not be any problem. I would like to have you draw up some sort of document that will allow me to leave some of the money to this orphanage for giving me a home all these years."

With that Emily went to her room, lay on her bed, and cried and a mixture of grief and joy.

The next day she stopped by the rooms of Rachel Gloss and Samantha Davis and told them what had happened and that the three o them would be leaving the orphanage and traveling to see the properties and maybe living together for a time while they got settled in a new life. The two girls did not hesitate to agree because the three of them had talked over the years of leaving one day and this windfall seemed like an omen to them.

Later that afternoon Emily and her two friends went to Mrs. Parks' office and laid out their plans to travel together. The necessary papers were drawn up and signed and the girls went about packing their meager belongings. 

The following day the girls met with Mrs. Parks and the two lawyers in the office and the final papers were drawn up and signed. The deeds to the properties handed over to Emily and also a long list of detailed instructions about the houses. 

Once the Lawyers left the girls went into the dining hall of the orphanage for a farewell party that lasted well into the evening. Everyone went to bed and tried to sleep.

In the morning the girls were [picked up in a limo, driven to the local airport where a private jet whisked them to LaGuardia Airport and another limo took them into New York City. They stopped at a very tall building and the driver helped them with their suitcases. A doorman asked for their ID's and they were shown into the building's lobby and a small bank of elevators.

One of the keys Emily had fitted into a slot numbered 39 and they were taken up. When the doors opened they found themselves in the entry of a very large space. As they got off the elevator a middle-aged woman came to them and introduced herself as Miss. Jacobs who was, as Emily and her friends remembered the housekeeper and maid for this place. They were still not sure what to call it. The space seemed to have glass windows all around the walls. Miss Jacobs asked if she could show them the house and the eagerly said yes. But were still puzzled by how big it was. 

The talked about the pale blue furniture on the light grey rug. The hidden lighting fixtures that seemed to glow magically and fill every space with a soft light. But as they walked and looked they soon realized that the space filled the whole 39th floor of the building. But everything was either sitting spaces, a kitchen, or three smallish bathrooms.

Emily asked, "Are there any places to sleep here? Or is this only for entertaining?"

Miss Jacobs smiled and said, "Girls. this is only the first floor of Mr. McAlle's apartment. The bedrooms are all upstairs."

The girls looked around for anything that would take them upstairs but nothing was evident. 

"Do we have to ride up in the elevator?"

"No", said Miss Jacobs, "the stairs are inside this central pillar. Just press this button and the door opens."

Upstairs the girls, who thought they had seen everything downstairs, stood open-mouthed and the scenes of New York through the windows and the six bedrooms each with its own enormous bathroom.  Bathrooms the size of some of the dorm rooms at the orphanage. 

Returning downstairs the girls ate a light dinner. Then Emily said, "Miss Jacobs, we have no idea what to do. All the clothes we own are in our small suitcases. ANd we watched the people walking along the streets and they dress far differently then we do in these hand-me-down secondhand clothes. Would you please take us shopping tomorrow since we do not know where to go? ANd also help us pick out clothing for our trip to Maine? And one more thing. Even though there are people who are taking care of that property we would like you to accompany us to Maine to help us make sure we do the right things? Please."

Miss Jacobs said, "Of course I would be happy to help in any way I can. It is getting late and if we shop tomorrow we all need some rest. Have you all picked out your rooms upstairs? I will be in my rooms down this hall if you need me for anything just press the button on your wall."

The girls went upstairs and sat on Emily's bed for several minutes talking about the place they were staying, the foods they ate, the size of this place. The showering in their own rooms went to bed.

Emily sat up long into the night staring out the window at the light of New York City and wondering what lay before her.