WILDFLOWER

Chapter 4

The lawyer turned out to be an elderly man with thin greying hair and gold horn-rimmed spectacles. Feeling her stomach curl, Jazzy turned to Aditya who had brought the gentleman into the meeting room. After a round of introductions, she sat in her chair, her back stiff and straight as she turned expectantly to the lawyer.

"You said you needed to meet me personally?"

The old man nodded, pulling his briefcase from the carpeted floor beside him onto the rich rosewood table between them. 

"Yes, yes," he agreed in a nasal voice, "my client's son wished to hand over a package."

Shuffling to his feet, he leaned over and placed a small dark blue box in front of Jazzy. "It was specified in Mr. Bhati's will that his son needed to ensure that this item reached you."

Opening the box, Jazzy gasped at the Sapphire and Diamond encrusted ring that twinkled under the overhead lights of the room. Inside the ring, there was an inscription that read, 'love L'. She was certain the 'L' stood for Lilly, her mother and it was obviously a woman's ring so why had it landed with that man?

"I don't understand," she whispered, her eyes unable to leave the dazzle, "why it has been given to me."

Hunching in his chair, the old man sighed. "Well it was apparently your mother's ring but even I don't know the story behind it except that Mr. Bhati wanted you to have it."

Jazzy's eyes flew to the man across the table. "Really? After all these years...," feeling a lump in her throat, she shook her head and was grateful for the squeeze on her shoulder from Aditya. "Why? Why couldn't he leave things as they were? He's just made a mess for his children all over again. If I refuse to accept this? Will I be left alone then?"

Shutting the lid of his briefcase, the lawyer looked her straight in the eye. "I'm afraid your refusal will mean that none of his legal heirs will inherit his fortune. His will stipulates that his estate be handed over to a charitable organization. He had no regrets my dear but I fear his mind was delusional towards the end. He left details of your birth and specific instructions about his wealth distribution. Naturally, his son was too upset to contact you and requested me to take care of his father's request."

"This son you mention....he would be my brother?" she whispered.

"Yes. And there are three older sisters. Unfortunately, the shock of it has taken its toll on the family. He left home without a word, creating panic. His wife was terribly upset."

"What?" She turned to Aditya who looked equally stunned, then shifted back to the lawyer. "He's...he's married?"

"And he has a two-year-old daughter." The lawyer's voice was clipped and disapproving.

Spreading her fingers over her face, she sat motionlessly. "Shit. What's his name?"

"Milind Bhati. He's about two years younger than you. There are three older sisters who are married."

"And their mother?"

"She's naturally distraught."

She swallowed to control the bile that was threatening to rise in the throat "Distraught? Are you telling me she didn't know about me? Because that is bullshit." Aditya's hand tightened around her wrist and she fought her emotions. What she really wanted was to scream at the lawyer although she knew he was not to blame. The poor man seemed puzzled by her sudden outburst, his scanty eyebrows lifting into an arch above his spectacles before he pushed a sheet of paper towards her.

"I don't know whether she knew or not. Please understand that it doesn't concern me. Now if you could sign this note acknowledging receipt of the ring, I'll be off."