(AN: Thank you for all the review. Sorry for the lack in updates, but I haven't had much time to just sit and write. I was able to write this whole chapter in one day. Hope you enjoy it.)
Chapter 10
Gilbert had been released from the hospital a week after his surgery was doing well. He was staying with Matt and Leah for the first two weeks after he was released from the hospital. One night after Leah and Matt got the kids to bed, they headed downstairs to watch some TV with Gilbert.
Gilbert didn't stay up too much later, as he was still recovering. Matt and Leah finished watching the nightly news and headed up to bed. As Matt and Leah curled up in each other's arms, Leah started to fall asleep, only to be woken up by her cell phone ringing.
"Hello?" Leah asked.
"Leah?" a female asked.
"Who is this?" Leah asked.
"It's Rhonda." she answered.
"Rhonda, what's wrong?" Leah asked.
"It's your dad. He was in a car accident this evening in Houston. It's not looking good for him. Can you please come out here?" Rhonda answered.
"I will see what I can do. I will call you in the morning." Leah stated as she hung up.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Matt asked.
"My dad was in a car accident tonight and they want me to fly out to Houston as they don't think he's going to make it." Leah said as she started to cry.
"It's ok. Let's call the airline and get on the first flight out there." Matt stated as he held his wife close to him.
Matt and Leah booked the tickets and started packing for Houston. Matt called Jeff and told him what was going on. Jeff came over right away and took them to the airport. Once the kids, Matt and Jeff were all settled on the plane, they soon fell asleep.
After arriving into Houston, Matt went to get the luggage while Leah got the rental van. Leah called her step-mother and told her that she, Matt and the kids were in Houston and heading to the hospital. Rhonda told her that she would meet them there.
It took Matt about an hour to drive from the airport to the hospital. Max was in the ICU and only people over the age of 13 could go in and see him. Leah nearly burst into tears when she saw her dad and how horrible he looked.
"He's been in a comatose state since the surgery last night. I don't know what I will do if I lose him." Rhonda stated.
"It will be ok. Dad is a strong person and never let anything keep him down." Leah responded.
"But the doctors are telling me that if he pulls through this, he will be paralyzed from the chest down." Rhonda stated.
"I know, Rhonda. But you have to remain positive even in the worst possible situations." Matt stated. "Jeff, Nicole and I almost lost our dad a few weeks ago. But thankfully he pulled through it and he's getting stronger day by day."
Matt took the kids to the hotel, while Leah stayed with her dad. Rhonda went back to their house and got all the paperwork that Max had incase something happened to him. Rhonda didn't even look at the papers. She handed them to Leah when she got back to the hospital. Leah took a cab to the hotel so that she could go through Max's papers.
"How's the paperwork going?" Matt asked.
"It's a mess. I found his will and the information on which funeral home to call and all that stuff. I'm just worried about Rhonda and her kids." Leah answered.
"I'm sure they will be just fine." Matt started to respond.
"I'm not so sure. My dad is leaving everything that is in his name to me to with what I want. Including the house, cars, bank accounts, everything." Leah stated.
"Wow. Can you sign the house over to Rhonda?" Matt asked.
"Yes, but it's a lot harder than you think it is." Leah stated. "I'm not going to kick them out, but there are going to be rules about the house and the cars. The bank accounts will be transferred into my name and depending on how much is there, I will give them enough money to get started, but she will have to find a job."
"So you're going to keep everything that you dad is leaving you?" Matt asked.
"For now. I don't know why, but I just don't trust Rhonda." Leah answered.
"I guess I can understand why you don't trust her, you just met her a few months ago. You don't think that she had something to do with the accident do you?" Matt responded.
"I don't think so. She doesn't come across as that type of person. But I just get this feeling like I shouldn't trust her." Leah stated.
"Well, just know that whatever you decided to do about everything, I am right here with you." Matt stated as he hugged his wife. "I love you."
"Thank you, Matt. I love you too." Leah stated.
Sadly the next morning, Leah's father Max passed away in his sleep. Leah was the first one to arrive at the hospital after being notified. She called Rhonda to tell her that Max was gone. About three hours later Rhonda arrived at the hospital. Leah had already made all the phone calls that needed to be made and the funeral arrangements were set as well.
When Rhonda arrived, Leah was on the phone with the Houston newspaper arranging for Max's obituary to be in tomorrow's paper. Leah was slightly annoyed that her step-mother showed up to the hospital hours after she called, which only made her more suspicious of Rhonda.
"Nice of you to show up." Leah stated highly annoyed.
"I got here as fast as I could." Rhonda responded.
"I highly doubt that." Leah stated.
"What is your problem, dear?" Rhonda asked.
"Don't call me dear. My problem is you. My father died this morning and it took you three hours to get here? What on earth were you doing or should I ask, who were you doing?" Leah answered angrily.
"How dare you talk to me like that. You know, don't bother coming to his funeral, I don't want you there anyways." Rhonda responded.
"Too bad. I've made all the arrangements already. By the way Mr. Franklin, dad's lawyer wants to meet us in his office this afternoon at 2. So be there." Leah stated as she finished signing all the paperwork and left to go back to the hotel.
Once Leah was in their hotel room she picked up Jocelyn and just hugged her. Matt walked into the room and noticed that Leah was very upset.
"Is everything ok?" Matt asked.
"No. I had a war of words with Rhonda at the hospital. She showed up three hours after I called her." Leah stated as she set Jocelyn down. "And we have to be downtown at 2."
"Wonderful. What's at 2?" Matt responded.
"We have to meet with Dad's lawyer about the will and stuff. I want you to go with me as I know what is going to happen. And if she acts out like she did in the hospital, I will kick her out of the house." Leah stated.
"I will be there. I'll call downstairs and arrange for a babysitter." Matt stated.
Later that afternoon, Matt and Leah arranged for a hotel babysitter and headed to the lawyers office. Rhonda was late as usual. Matt sat in between Leah and Rhonda as so they wouldn't have reason to fight.
"Thank you for coming on such sort notice. I am Mr. Franklin. I am very sorry for your loss." the lawyer stated.
"Thank you, Mr. Franklin. I am Leah Hardy, Max's daughter and this is my husband, Matt Hardy." Leah stated.
"It's nice to meet the both of you. Rhonda, how are you holding up?" Mr. Franklin responded.
"Just fine. Can we get this over with please." Rhonda stated.
"Sure. This won't take long at all. I went over all of Max's papers this morning and he has left everything, the house, cars, bank accounts, etc. to Leah Hardy." Mr. Franklin stated.
"WHAT? How can that be? He told me that I would get everything when he died." Rhonda shouted.
"Rhonda! Sit down! This is his most current will as of 2 weeks ago. He updated his will every year on the same day." Mr. Franklin responded.
"Mrs. Hardy, I will have all the documents sent to your home address as soon as next week. Now when I spoke to you on the phone this morning, you said something about making the funeral arrangements. When will it be?" Mr. Franklin asked.
"In two days at Brooks Memorial Home." Leah answered.
"Sounds good. Again I am sorry for your loss. Max was a great man. In the envelope that I will be sending to you there will be papers that I need you to sign and return to me as soon as possible. There is one set of papers that you can fill out here, if you want to." Mr. Franklin stated.
"That would be fine. What are the papers for?" Leah asked.
"The house." Mr. Franklin answered.
"What about the house?" Rhonda asked nervously.
"That is between Matt, Mr. Franklin and myself." Leah answered.
"That's not fair. I live in that house." Rhonda stated.
"Rhonda, please have a seat in the waiting room." Mr. Franklin stated.
After Rhonda left the room, the lawyer talked with Leah and Matt about what decisions needed to be made about the house. Leah told the lawyer what she originally planned to do if this day ever came. The lawyer told her some interesting facts about Rhonda, which helped Leah and Matt make the appropriate decisions.
"So I will give her 30 days to find a job and start earning an income. Her kids are also old enough to work so they will also have 30 days to find part time jobs. After the 30 days she will be required to pay rent which will go towards the yearly property taxes." Leah stated one they were back at the hotel.
"I agree. What will we do if she doesn't find a job?" Matt agreed.
"She will have 14 days to vacate the property with her kids and only their belongings. I will also give them each $1000 to get started with and to never have contact with us again." Leah responded.
"Sounds good enough to me." Matt stated.
Two days later was Max's funeral. Jeff, Krista and their kids flew out to help support Leah and Matt. Leah and Matt both had to buy new outfits for the funeral as they didn't bring anything appropriate for it. Leah spoke on her father's behalf. Leah completely ignored Rhonda and her kids during the funeral and at the dinner to remember Max.
As everyone started to leave after dinner, they shook hands with Leah and Matt. Jeff, Krista, Matt and Leah stayed after the so called party to help pack up the food. They were going to take the leftovers to the nearest homeless shelter. Matt and Jeff were helping put away chairs and tables and such, while the girls were boxing up the containers of food.
"Leah, can we please talk?" Rhonda asked.
"I really have nothing to say to you." Leah stated.
"Why do you hate me?" Rhonda asked.
"Hate? You think I hate you? I don't hate anyone, I dislike people. Now before you go and say anything else to me. You and your two children have 30 days to find jobs, they can have part time jobs, you must have a full time job. You will each receive $1000 to help you get started in finding a job. There had to be a good reason as to why my father left everything to me. I just have yet to find out why." Leah stated.
"What will happen if we don't get jobs?" Rhonda asked.
"You will have to move out of my house and never again contact me or my family." Leah responded.
"You can't do that! He was my husband!" Rhonda shouted loud enough for Matt and Jeff to hear.
"Rhonda, I suggest you leave my wife alone." Matt stated.
"Mr. Franklin has already approved my requests and demands. And the papers are notarized and final. There is nothing that you can do about it." Leah stated with tears in her eyes.
Rhonda and her kids quickly left. Matt and Jeff finished loading up the van with the boxes of food and all four adults got in the van and took the boxes to the homeless shelter. That night the four adults and nine kids stayed in and watched movies. The next morning everyone was boarding a flight back to North Carolina and Leah couldn't wait to get as far away as possible from Rhonda.