The Veil

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Start of November.

Driving home was exhausting, the excitement had worn off and now we were all just tired with no adrenaline to run on. 

We had to drive slower on the way back too as the snow hadn't stopped falling for long enough for the roads to be completely clear. 

Andrew took over for Jade half way home so she could nap in the front seat. 

I didn't sleep that time, I was tired but I was able to keep my eyes open. 

I was full of happiness. 

The weekend had been perfect and a wonderful way to spend my birthday. 

I'd only felt a little guilty on the Saturday for being happy without my parents there. We'd spent the day almost the same as the Friday, minus the presents. 

I was sat on the couch watching CSI, Tom was laying down with his head in my lap, I was absentmindedly running my hands through his shaggy blond hair as he scrolled through Facebook, occasionally lifting his phone in front of my eyes for me to see something, mostly cute dog videos that appeared on his timeline. 

Jade and Andrew were squeezed onto the recliner together, they were kind of watching CSI with me, but mostly arguing over baby names. 

It was as close to sleep as we could get without actually giving in and going to bed at six pm.  

Sky apparently hadn't had enough of the snow and the cold and was in and out from the yard.

We all jumped when the shrill sound of the landline interrupted Grissom revealing the murderers location on screen. 

Tom sat up, and we all looked at each other curiously. 

"Since when do we have a landline?" Jade raised an eyebrow. 

Tom jumped up from the couch and jogged into the kitchen 

"I think it's always been there." I laughed at her expression. 

"It's twenty nineteen who even rings anyone anymore? Have they not heard of a text?" She shook her head and turned back to the screen, me and Andrew made eye contact before rolling our eyes at her. 

"Lily?" Tom called from the kitchen, he pushed the door open and stuck his head out, "It's for you?" He was frowning.

My eyebrows scrunched together too, who would call me here? 

I grabbed the phone from him when I entered the kitchen, it still had a cord, connected to the wall and everything. 

Tom leant against the wall next to the phone, watching me with curious eyes. 

"Hello?" I asked into the receiver. 

"Hello, am I speaking to Miss Grace?" A professional sounding female voice asked.  

"Um, yes?" I shrugged at Tom and shook my head. 

"Oh good, we've been trying to find you for a few months now. My name is Maxine White and I work with Mr Markovitz, Mr and Mrs Grace's Lawyer. We just have a few matters to discuss with you, is now a good time?" Her voice was perky and it took me a minute to understand what she was saying. 

My eyes widened and Tom pushed himself off the wall, walking towards me, eyebrow raised. 

"I think so." I answered Maxine and covered the receiver "It's my parents lawyer or something." I whispered to Tom, glancing at the kitchen door, I was worried about Andrew or Jade coming in. 

"Good. Well we just wanted to let you know that you have some money coming your way, your parents left strict instructions about their money and house, money to be given to you three years after their passing, and their house, if you weren't living in it, to be sold or leased. As we know you're not living in it as it's taken us a while to track you down, we just wondered if you'd thought about selling the property, or renting it?" She asked, seeming completely oblivious to how this conversation was tearing me apart inside.