Rootbeer Float

Aunt Agatha

3 years ago

I got a call from my cousin, Darren, saying my Aunt Agatha was really sick. Sweetest, most caring woman you would ever meet. She would give you her shoes if you needed them. She did that once when I was a child. Gave them straight to a homeless woman walking around bare footed. I asked her why she did it and she told me "We take advantage of so many things now days that sometimes we forget to give to others and we shall receive. In their darkness we can be their light. Even for just a short time period of time." I didn't know what that meant back then but I know now.

She passed away from mesothelioma a week after she turned 47. The doctors didn't catch it in time and gave her only 3 months. She refused treatment and pain medications. She was one hard headed person. I flew over to them in San Antonio Texas as soon as I could. Spending the last few weeks of with her was the most heart wrenching thing I have ever experienced. We laughed, we cried. Most of the time I sat in silence while she told me stories of her past. She was and will forever be my favorite. I spent most holidays and summers with her. My parents worked all the time so I stayed with her. She didn't seem to mind. No one came to visit her after her husband passed away. Not even her daughter, Jordan.

Jordan hasn't seen her mom in 11 years. She didn't even come to her mothers funeral. She left her mother for a man that was fresh out of jail and had 4 baby mamas. Her and my aunt had a falling out because of it. Jordan said she was in love and Aunt Agatha told her she didn't know what loving a man was considering she was only 15 and the man was 29. My aunt pleaded with my cousin but she still left. But not without taking all of my aunts precious jewelry and wallet the night before. I was only 14 at the time.

My poor aunt cried for her daughter the whole week. She couldn't even get out of bed. I tried my best to help her out. Made sure she ate, bathed and I cuddled with her when she slept. My aunt struggled with the bills that summer so I picked up a small job by cutting grass and helping out the elderly neighbors. It didn't pay well but my aunt appreciated it. One day she just snapped out of her stupor. She took us to the library everyday after work. She went to the educational part of the library and I went to the teen fiction.

When I was 17, my parents wanted to travel the world for a bit. I didn't want to go along so I went to stay at my aunts. At that time she was taking "business trips" away from home. She would be gone for 2 weeks at a time. She trusted me to be at home by my self. Sometimes she would send me post cards when she will be home. It was nice just us two. Haven't heard from Jordan since that day.
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Later that week after the funeral, I got a call from a Mr. Barron about a will that my aunt left. I went to the office thinking it would only be me there. I was wrong about that. There was a woman sitting in one of the chairs with clothes a that looked 2x too small and needle marks up her arms.

"Jordan?" I look her up and down in disgust. I don't know why she was there considering she hasn't spoken to my aunt in years.

"Hello Penelope. Long time no see. I see you are still hanging onto my mother. What? Did your parents not want you? I dont blame them." Jordan taunts.

"Well I am the only one that cared and talked to her since her pathetic ass daughter ran away after stealing from her. How is Darren anyway? Did he leave you behind to be baby mama number 5? Doesn't surprise me. " I throw shade right back at her. Smiling in victory, I sit down and wait for the lawyer. I could feel the daggers on the side of my face. I choose to ignore them.

Mr. Barron, the lawyer, began to read the will. "To my only daughter, Jordan..." My cousin started crying yelled at the ceiling that she missed her mom. My eyes roll so far back I thought I though I would dislodge them.Oh stop with the crocodile tears.

The lawyer cleared his throat and continued. "To my only daughter, Jordan... that I have not seen or hear from in over 10 years. I still love you dearly and wish that I could of gotten one phone call before my passing. Since you did not have me in your mind and clearly not in your heart I leave you $100. That should get you on a bus to where you have been all these years." The lawyer pauses and gives a pointed look at Jordan.

My cousin sobered up and stumped out the office mumbling about a stupid old woman. Little brat. She only came here to see if the was left anything.

"To my dearly loved niece that I thought of as my true daughter all these years. You are my only family that I had all these years. Even in my worst times you were there to help me up. You, Penelope, were my light in my darkness. You made me smile when I felt sad. I am sorry I never told you what my career was. I am still sorry that I can't disclose that information. I promised you I would always care for you. I never go back on my promises. I leave you all my estates, savings and my precious possessions." What does he means all her estates? How much savings? I never knew what Aunt Agatha did for a living. She didn't pinch pennys but she didn't live lavishly either. I was caught up in my own thoughts while the lawyer finished reading the rest of the will while handing me a folder full of documents. The folder was pretty thick so I will go through later.

Later that week I found out my aunt was hiding more than I thought. She had 3 houses. One in Katy Texas, one in San Antonio Texas and one in Albuquerque New Mexico. The one in San Antonio I knew about. The others... not so much. She had 500 million dollars in savings plus another 200 millions in life insurance. Holy mother of all things... wow... just wow. Why would she hide all this from me?
..

As for my cousin Jordan, she was arrested for breaking and entering into my aunt house and trying to steal all he stuff again. It did help her that she got into a shoot out with the cops. What was she thinking? She will never learn. Time to take it slow and absorb everything I just learned.