Mattie's Call (25 page)

39

A
ttorney Durk flipped the note over again as he waited for the other siblings. He held it up so Joshua and Langston could read it as well.

“Should I rip it up? I don't want Gigi and Alice to see this,” said Joshua.

“Be my guest. I'm sure it's not the only one out there.”

“Who would harass a family this way?” Langston noted the care someone took to cut out letters to craft the note. He read it aloud:
“Mattie Benson is still alive. If you give me $15,000, I'll tell you where she is.”

“The least the person could've done was leave a number,” Joshua joked.

Durk ripped the letter up and tossed it in the trash can. “You'd be amazed at the number of crazies who scour the obits in search of living relatives to extort. A high-profile story like your mom's was bound to bring out a few vultures and sharks.” He added, “When she first went missing, I couldn't keep up with the sightings people reported. A few times, calls came to my phone from a restricted number.”

“You do know you can do a reverse lookup and find out who's calling, right?” Langston asked Joshua the question as if everyone knew how phone systems worked. “Grandma Lorena said death always brought out family greed.”

Joshua's mind drifted back to their last meeting at Roastfish & Cornbread and Gigi's reaction to Mattie's request. She'd changed her tune since the meeting and he was proud of his sister. In a short time, he'd see how Alice felt about her inheritance. Their estrangement wearied him, and he wouldn't leave the office without trying to make amends.

“Durk, Gabrielle and Alice are here to see you.”

“Send them in.”

They stood as the sisters walked into the office. They slowed their pace at the sight of Langston.

Unsure of their reaction, Joshua said, “I hope you don't mind him joining us. Whatever's left for me, I want my son to have it.”

Gabrielle pushed Joshua out of the way. “Move so I can meet my nephew!”

Langston didn't have time to protest before Gabrielle swept him up in a warm hug. Alice followed suit. They looked him up and down.

“You sure are a good-looking man! I bet you fight the ladies in Atlanta off with a stick!” Gabrielle said.

“Two sticks!” Alice piped in.

He blushed and offered, “I have a girlfriend, but thanks for the compliment.”

Gabrielle touched his face and spun him around. “Just like Daddy and Joshua. We have a lifetime to catch up with you. I'm glad you came into our lives.”

“So am I.”

“Does Deborah know about any of this?” Gabrielle asked.

“Not yet. I plan to tell her this weekend when we go out to dinner. I've been back and forth getting to know Josh, I mean, Dad behind her back.”

“Good for you. I'm glad you're getting to know us before something happens,” said Alice.

Joshua took a leap of faith. “Alice, it's good to see you.”

Robert Crenshaw's words danced in her mind. She'd caused the rift in her family by remaining with Beryl. Squashing bitter feelings was the only option she had.

“It's good to see you too, Josh.” She embraced him for a long time. “Excuse us a moment.”

Durk chatted with Langston and Gabrielle as they walked to the lobby area.

“I'm sorry for making things difficult between us. Mama and Daddy stayed married, so I thought if I hung in there, things would get better. I only went home to get back at him. That didn't work, either. We were both miserable.”

“Alice, you're my sister. Did you think I'd stand by and let someone hurt you? When it seemed you were content in that mess of a marriage, I couldn't take it. I'm sorry for not being more supportive. Synaria has taught me a lot about your circumstances.”

I bet she has. Why don't you two stop playing around and get together?
“Hard to support a glutton for punishment. I'm not one hundred percent, but I'm getting there. Things won't be healed between the two of us for a while, but I want you to know I never want to be without you in my life again.”

“Love you, Sis. Now let's get back in here before Gigi comes out and makes a scene.”

“She's calmed down a lot, but let's not push it.”

Gigi took stock of them as they entered the room. “I was about to come out after you.”

“We know,” they said in union.

Durk, proud of the siblings' banter, liked this interaction versus the last time they'd all met. He wanted to address them before his next appointment, so he plowed forward.

“I called you all here today with a few updates and to see how your progress is going. Your mother's will didn't give you all specific ways to achieve her stipulations, but I wanted to know how you're doing with what she asked.” He eyed Gabrielle. “How are things going with you, Gigi?”

“I'm gainfully employed. Mama didn't say I had to be anyone's CEO, so I'm working every day and making an honest living. No sponsors.” She winked at Alice. “Thanks to Joshua's keen eyes and listening ears, I'm renting an apartment near the River Walk. An exec at Gulfstream had it for use as he came in and out of town. He's relocated and doesn't need it anymore.”

“Joshua, how is it going with you?”

He nodded in Langston's direction. “I'm not proud of our reverse deception, but getting to know my son has been great. I wish I knew why he was kept a secret, but I can't do anything about it now. I went back to work two months ago and I'm settling into the reality that Mama's gone.”

Everyone cast glances at Alice. She removed a letter from her purse and passed it around.

“It's official. I'm done with school and will be graduating in December.” Her voice dropped. “Beryl left me and the divorce will be final soon. I'm putting the house on the market and I'm looking for something smaller.” She tried to hold it together, but tears flowed. Attorney Durk passed her a box of Kleenex as Gabrielle massaged her shoulders. “I really don't need the inheritance since receiving money in a civil suit from my former pastor.”

Durk reclined in his oversized, leather chair. “Looks like each of you fulfilled your mother's requests. And in a shorter amount of time than I calculated,” he added with a grin.

“We did. Mama always said she'd be dead and buried before we all got along,” said Gabrielle.

“You can see her again for fifteen-thousand dollars,” Langston piped in.

Gabrielle and Alice shot him a crazy look.

“Langston!” said Joshua. He grinned and filled his sisters in on the joke. “Some fool, or fools left a letter here saying Mama's still alive and will tell us where she is if we give them fifteen-thousand dollars.”

Alice's shoulders relaxed. “Like when she first went missing and all the people called the TV stations saying they'd spotted her.”

“Exactly.”

Gabrielle directed her gaze at Durk. “Shall we continue? It's my off day and I have a lunch date.”

“Lunch date?” Alice couldn't mask her skepticism. “What's his name?”

“Her
name is Katisha and her son's name is Kirby. Nanette is also joining us today. I'm hanging out with my coworkers if that's all right with you.”

“That sounds wonderful. I don't think I've seen you with a female friend since that girl Christin moved away years ago.”

Durk cleared his throat. “Well, the second part of this meeting is a quick update. Luckily, your parents had their affairs in order. Gabrielle entrusted me to assist her with Executor duties in case you two weren't aware. Only a few debts needed to be paid off. I've submitted a final estate accounting, so probate's almost done. The money will be split equally amongst the three of you.”

“I thought I wasn't getting anything,” said Gabrielle.

“You left before I could tell you Mattie wanted to make sure you all benefited from your father's hard work. She wanted you to know the value of an honest day's pay and have your own money first.”

“Durk, I can live with or without the money. Her challenge has made me grow, and I'm grateful.”

40

S
harp pain radiated up and down her legs, jolting her from her dream. Mattie tried moving, but the agony rendered her helpless. Her screams filled the bedroom. She tried angling her body toward the dresser, but arthritis made it difficult to grip the mattress. If she could reach the cell phone, she'd be able to call Ursula. She needed her more than ever.

She turned on her back to breathe. She took in short breaths, sat up, and reached for the hand-carved cane Ursula had bought her. Between tears, screams, and curses, she hobbled to the dresser and retrieved her cell phone.

Groggy, Ursula answered on the second ring. “Maude, are you okay?”

“No. Feels like I'm dying. Help me!”

Ursula pulled the covers from her body. “Let me call an ambulance.”

“No! Will you please come down here? I can't go to a hospital.”

“I'll be right down.”

Ursula slipped into a pair of jeans, a hoodie, and Crocs. She made her way to Mattie's cabin and knocked on the door for what seemed like an eternity. Panic-stricken, she paced on the front porch and redialed her number.

“Maude, I can't help you unless you come to the door.”

“I can't move.”

“I'll have to call nine-one-one then.”

She whimpered, “Look under the frog sitting on top of the planter and get my spare key.”

Ursula did as instructed. She opened the door and followed her friend's moans and screams to the bedroom. She knelt near Mattie's body, now curled in a fetal position near the dresser.

“It's my legs. I'm having bad cramps. Can you rub them for me?”

“We're getting you to the hospital. I'm not a doctor and I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you.”

Her leg pains grew sharper as Ursula dialed 9-1-1. Ursula gave the operator Mattie's address and sat on the floor after hanging up.

“I'll get you ready. Where is your coat? You have a light jacket, don't you?”

Mattie pointed toward the closet. The moment she'd feared for the past six months caused shakiness in her limbs. Her heart raced as Ursula rifled through her closet.

“The pink or blue one?”

“Pink.”

“Do you have the ICE Blue Button on your phone?”

“A what?”

“It's an app with all your medical information.”

Mattie shook her head.

“What about your purse? You'll need insurance and identification. Where is it?”

Mattie's chest tightened. Things were moving too quickly and she grew dizzier.

“I don't like people rambling through my purse!”

“Maude, I'm not—” Ursula remembered their previous conversation and her sensitivity about her past. She didn't want to come across as the great white hope and offend her, so she said, “Tell me where it is. When we get to the hospital, we can let a nurse or social worker go through you things. If necessary, I'll pay the bill for you.”

Through the pain, Mattie said, “I can pay my bill. Cash if I have to.” Able to flip over on her back again, she said, “Look in that bottom drawer. It's the black purse next to my pistol.” She winced and pulled her legs toward her chest.

Ursula imagined wads of cash in her purse. She remembered the day Maude told her she didn't trust banks and cited stories of lenders folding and people losing tons of money. She sighed as the ambulance whirred and came to a halt in front of the cabin. She ran to the front door and led the EMTs to the bedroom. They positioned the stretcher near the bed.

“My name is Whitney. What's going on, Ma'am?” She and her male counterpart lifted Mattie and placed her on the stretcher. Ursula held her hand.

“Leg cramps.”