A/n and disclaimer : o.k.…the eulogy that was written here was for the late Dr. Wee Kim Wee by his granddaughter. I liked it very much and couldn't help but input it here. With several modifications, of course. He was a great man and that was a lovely tribute. May he rest in peace. The rest of the story is mine except for the main characters. They belong to those who shall not be named. Bummer.
-----------
Betrayals
By aniki19
Chapter 6 - And The Plot Thickens
----
"Hello". Paused.
Noah proceeded to lock the door to his room.
"Yes, he's here. You can have him anytime you want. Just don't forget our agreement."
"Why Mr Kilmartin, you sound as if you don't trust us" came the stoic reply. "When you know very well it should be the other way around."
"Alright, enough…" Noah grit his teeth. "We shall meet again. It's too risky to talk online. I'll inform you when I'll be delivering the good."
"I'm afraid it won't be as simple as that. Not this time." the voice sounded cold.
"You may have tricked Mr Echart before but you are dealing with me now." Harrison gave a cruel smile.
"Don't worry. This is a secure line. I trust that you are seated for I'm going to give you the time and place for the deed to take place…"
-------
He looked at the bed that was his Nana's just a few short hours ago. Already, they had taken her body to the funeral home about three miles away. All that was left of her in the room was a lingering fragrant of lavender that Nana always seem to have around her.
He sat softly on her bed. Was it only yesterday that he had laughed and talked to her? Only last night that she had seen the prove that she needed to know she had done the right thing? To left him in Adam's care?
He shook his head in disbelief. What other secrets didn't you tell me? What other secrets should I have known?
He sniffed and stood up slowly; running his hand over the creases in the bed that he had made sitting down.
Already the scent of lavender is fading. He stifled a sob and made his way back to his room to tell his team he's not gonna come home as yet. He has loose ends to tie.
------
"So, what did Jesse has to say?". Shalimar leaned against the seat where Emma was on. Having just came back from stocking up the safe houses --- which was Jesse job if he was around --- she found Emma deep in thought in front of the computer. And she thinks she knows why.
Emma gave a sigh. " What else?" She turned to look at Shalimar. " He said he won't be coming home anytime soon, at least for a week."
"What! Boy, Adam's not gonna be happy and so am I!" She started pacing. "I'm sick and tired of doing his chores. He better have a great reason or else!" She stopped in her tracks and turned to face Emma, folding her arms. "So what's his excuse this time?"
"He does have a great reason …" Emma caught Shalimar's eyes.
"His Nana passed away last night."
----
Three days had passed. The funeral was going to be held in less than two hours, today. Then she would be place in the family vault; to lie await for eternity in a box just like the rest of his family. He shuddered. He hoped when it was his turn, he'll be cremated and his ashes thrown to the wind; free at last of mortal prison.
He turned and caught himself in the mirror. He almost couldn't recognise the person staring back at him. He straighten his tie and buttoned his suit. His grandmother's attorney had called for a meeting with him in private and he's supposed to be there after the service. Probably about the running of the estates or something like that. He tugged at his tie again. He had never felt so uncomfortable in his entire life as he is wearing the suit. He just wasn't cut out to be wearing this.
Arriving early, he caught a glimpse of his dad in the chapel and before he could turn around;
" Jesse, hold on."
Jesse waited; almost holding his breath. This ought to be good.
" I…I know this isn't a great time to be doing this but I have been busy these past few days and I hardly saw you. He took a breath. "I know we've not exactly been on the very best of terms but," Noah added awkwardly, "I hope you could forgive my behaviour last night and hopefully, eventually; find it in your heart to forgive me. Jesse, I'm sorry."
He extended his hand to touch Jesse's shoulder as if a mere touch would vanquished any damaged done.
Jesse avoided his touch and just walked away. Noah ran after him. " Jesse, son; say something. Anything, but please, don't walk away from me without saying something?" He succeeded to sound almost desperate.
He stopped in his tracks and turn to face his father. "I have said nothing because there is nothing I can say that would describe how I feel as perfectly as you deserve it." (#1)
And promptly walked away.
------
The funeral was a sombre one. The priest gave a solemn eulogy.
"...To the beloved family and friends of this departed person we find ourselves gathered, humanly speaking, to say farewell to someone we loved, laughed, laboured and lived our lives with. For us this blissful relationship has ended too soon. Yet, our faith assures us that death shall not have the last word. Christ is alive and we have hope beyond the grave. Consequently, we look for hope even beyond the grave and we are confident of victory over death..."
The priest continued with his droning. The words seemed to fade in and out and Jesse's mind reeled. As he sat in the church his grandmother frequents, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Religion wasn't very big with his parents though his grandmother was a staunch Catholic. His mother once told him that God doesn't necessarily have to exist in churches, it's more important that he exist within you and he believed her.
He knew God wasn't in this church --- He's busy entertaining his Nana.
Suddenly, he felt angry. It seems obvious to him that this priest knew nothing about his grandmother and yet here he is giving a so-called tribute to her! Who is he to tell everyone present what he thinks of Nana? All he knows is that she's probably one of the generous regular patrons of the chapel and had seemed fit to be acknowledged.
After a polite applause, he stood up. He knew his Nana deserved better than the priest's eulogy and walked up to the small podium. Suddenly, his throat felt dry and he was overwhelmed with a feeling of sorrow. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath and spoke.
"My grandmother's achievements as an editor, a diplomat and head of the Kilmartin Enterprises after the passing of my beloved grandfather are now the stuff of legend. You would have read all these things in the newspapers or watched them on television - she was a public person.
When my grandfather passed away, thirty years ago, she was the rock that held the family together. She could have easily surrendered the daily mundane tasks of running the business to any of the board of directors but she stood firm and rolled up her sleeves and made the decision to run the business herself. She wanted the firm to run as it always was and knew that no one, not even the directors wanted to do the same.
What I should talk about is Madame Francesca Agata Elisabeth Kilmartin as my grandmother.
Once, when I was learning the piano, I thought I would learn some songs to play at my mother's birthday party. I asked my grandmother what songs she thought she would like. To my surprise she gave me a type-written sheet with songs listed in order of preference. She was always a busy woman - she used to tell me that she had a million and one things on her mind. But at some point in her life, she had sat down and thought hard about what music my mother, her daughter-in-law, would enjoy and typed it all out and kept it in special folder ready to be whipped out at anytime.
My grandparents would have celebrated 69 years of marriage together in April this year. I thank my grandmother from the bottom of my heart for showing us what it really is like to love a person. I also thank her for showing us what it is to love life.
She was a person who adored life. She collected miniature perfume bottles, books and stamps. She travelled the world, visiting those less fortunate than herself; she played sports; she planted fruit trees; she loved the smell and taste of hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Whenever I visited her in her office as a child - whether at the Kilmartin Tower, the embassy in New York, the Herald Tribute or the huge halls of the National Library - there would come moments when she would wink at me, open her desk drawer and say "Have a chocolate".
Unknown to our family physician and the cook, who disapproved of her snacking in between meals, she always kept a secret stash of Hawaiian hazelnut chocolates, which she ate out of his sight during office hours.
My grandmother loved animals as well. She liked to watch horses running. She liked dogs and cats and she liked fish. At the last count, the house contained, two goldfish , three dogs, five cats and an old donkey.
Once, someone gave her six turkeys. I think the idea was for them to be fattened up and eaten. My grandmother looked at them and spoke to them.
She gave them names. I remember my mother saying to me, "Oh no, she has given them names - we'll never get rid of them now". And so the turkeys were with us for quite some time.
But one day, they started irritating the cats so my grandmother decided to find them a new home. The Green-Rescue Sanctuary Zoo was chosen. When the family heard about this, of course we all joked that the turkeys would be fed to the tigers.
She was so alarmed by this that she made special arrangements with the zoo. They were to send her a written report every time a turkey died. The report had to state the cause of death and age of each turkey.
That was the kind of person my grandmother was. She revered and respected life - even the life of a turkey.
The stories of her life are, to me, all stories of love. If you wish to honour her memory in your life, then live your life to the fullest, stand by your friends, cherish your family, listen to everyone with an open mind and welcome those who cross your path with an open heart. May you live every day of your life(#2).
She has gone on another journey now. We have spent the past two days saying goodbye to her and it is now time to let her go.
From all of us and me; I know you love us all so very much.
Goodbye Nonna. Goodbye…"
-----
Jesse made his way to his car and sat down in the driver's seat. He stopped for a moment as if to console himself and started ignition. He didn't know where the strength came from for him to say such a speech but he knew Nana deserved better than what the priest had. He just hoped he's done her justice.
"And now," he sighed. "To the lawyer's office in Boston. I wonder what it was he needed to talk to me in person for."
----
He was ushered in by a pretty secretary to a seat in an office. "Mr Mitchell will be right with you, Mr Kilmartin. Coffee?" She asked politely.
"No, I'm fine as it is. Thank you." He bid her farewell and sat down.
He looked around the office. It was spacious; rare in the uptown area of Boston. He saw a frame and reached out, turning it around. A picture of his grandmother with an elderly gentleman. He assumed this was the attorney who spoke to him so urgently over the phone earlier this morning.
The door opened to reveal the gentleman. He was carrying an envelope with a seal.
"Mr Kilmartin? I apologise for making you wait. I had a few errands to attend to." He moved over behind the desk and extended his hand in a handshake.
Jesse stood up to grasp his hand and took a seat. "Call me Jesse. Mr Kilmartin sounds too much like my father." Somehow, this guy looked familiar. Now where have I seen him before?
"I doubt you remember me, Jesse but I remembered you as a young man of nine coming to your grandmother's office one hot summer day begging her to have an ice cream with you right in the middle of a board meeting." He broke into a sudden grin. "Your grandmother, the fox that she was; graciously took your offer and left the board room with you".
Jesse frowned…and quite suddenly his memory was jarred. "You were the man who came running after her, with a handkerchief!"
"Ah…I see you do remember me." He walked over to where Jesse was seating and put his hand on the shoulder of the chair. "I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. She was a wonderful employer; my condolences to you, young Master."
Jesse nod. "So, why are we here? Surely I'm not here to hear you rant about what a wonderful person my Nana was. Why am I here?"
The attorney walked back to his desk and retrieved the sealed enveloped. Without a word he past it to Jesse and gestured for him to open it.
Breaking off the seal, after realising that the seal was of his grandmother's, Jesse reached in and pulled out a letter.
Silence filled the room as Jesse read the letter.
'And finally, I leave the running of Kilmartin Enterprises to my beloved grandson, Jesse. This will take immediate effect after my death.
This is my last will and testament.
Signed,
Madame Francesca Agata Elisabeth Kilmartin
Witnessed by Mr William H. Mitchell
12th August 2005...'
"But…" Jesse was feeling confused. "This was written less than a week ago, I went back home only on the 15th." Again, what secrets had Nana failed to inform him?
"Libby called me that day saying that she wanted to have her will amended. It was a discreet meeting between the two of us. For some reason she didn't mentioned, she didn't want Noah, your father, to know she amended her will. As far as he is concerned, the will hasn't change." William replied.
"According to the previous will, his name was to be on that very spot yours are now. There had been no mentioned of you at all. I had presumed you had died and as far as I was concerned; so did she till that fateful day. She told me that she had known you were alive all this while, Jesse. She had made certain of that and she had made sure that your father had no clue that she knew about your whereabouts."
"Alright. I think I see where you're going. However I still don't know why you want to see me in private, you could easily have done this at the family meeting tomorrow."
"My dear boy, I think you do not understand the danger you are in. Your father had assumed that he would be the sole inheritor of Kilmartin Enterprises. With that assurance in mind, did he actually tried to contact you. I have done a thorough investigation of his accounts and I must say that your father does not have deep resources; he is almost on the verge of bankruptcy. As of tomorrow, he would find out, as will his creditors, that he didn't inherit what he thought would be his salvation. Now, Jesse, what would you think a desperate man like him would resort to?" William concluded.
Jesse gave the lawyer a hard look. This is ridiculous. "I can handle myself fine. Don't you worry about me." He stood up as if to go. "Now if there isn't anything else, I'm taking my leave."
"Jesse, wait." A firm grip on his shoulder. " I know it's kind of hard to digest all these at one sitting but if Libby didn't trust her own son, there must be something to it. And I trust her judgements."
"Please, promise me you'll be careful?" he pleaded with Jesse.
This was a man whom Nana trust. " Mr Mitchell, thank you for confiding with me." He has to believe in something why not that trust? Jesse softened. "I'll do my very best."
"I'll see you tomorrow, young Master".
Jesse frowned. "Aren't you coming to the wake?"
"No, Jesse. I still have a lot of loose ends to tie. Now, you, on the other hand, better hurry home before your father gets suspicious."
Jesse nodded. William extended his hand. Jesse accepted and embraced him in a hug.
"Thank you." he whispered.
----
#1 - quoted from Kyle Schmidt
#2 - quoted from Jonathan Swift
Wheew! I finished tis chpt! N just in time, too! I'm going for a short holiday over e weekend…nowhere exotic n far…just a hop, a skip n across e border. Apologies for taking forever with tis chpt…(raises hands) guilty…of being lazy (I know, I know, I deserve a kick in e u-know-where) and reading about other ficts (I'm suddenly hooked onto one tree hill, gasp, e horror! E horror!) when I should be doing tis! I'm so sorry! But I hope e length makes up for e absence. (insert cheesy grin here). N now, on to do e honours :
TanukiImbreed : u know, wat? I still don really know wat his prick of a father wants wif him but I did put e idea somewhere deep in e recesses of my messy room! I think! So please bear wif me!u will know soon.
Feral's Revenge : I'm starting to miss e boys…but then, (whispers secretly) I've bought my 2nd mx season dvds…hopefully it'll arrive after I've come back from my trip. N I'm dying for e 3rd season to come out. I hear it's out on e 10th (?). (rubs hand in glee) I can hardly wait to get my hands on those! Hint, hint! lol! I love it that u loved e length of e previous chpt…I hope u liked tis one too! I had it lengthy just for u! Always a pleasure to read ur reviews.
Falconwolf3 : oopppss..my dear, hopefully I get to read ur attachment by e time I get back…or something. Hope u actually read my msgs…(crosses fingers) n hopefully I didn't offend u with e religion thingy (touche…hehehe). Yeah, I know, I liked Jesse's nana, too…she's so much better than mine, too! I wish they could trade places. oopps! Tt was mean!ah well…I wish, right? U were one of e 1st to read it…I hope u liked it.by e way, I did finally read all e chpts to ur plot! Still a little confused (y me? Y me? Y not mari who had to go psycho) but I get e general idea.
Obulet-dragon-fury : aahh…fresh meat! a new reviewer! Hahaha! thanks for e input… brothers r annoying…(I think coz I don't have one)..but I can't exactly stand my sister either n I tink at least with a brother, u can always beat him to a pulp. My sister's a crybaby, I can't do or get away much wif her. Bummer! lol!I hope ur still reading tis even though e update is late.
Crittle87 : glad u like e whole Italian ting. Not much Italian here,though. Bu I hope u still continue reading..by e way, ur story rocks!updating soon?
Joslin : I'm sorry, ASAP is just not in my vocabulary…lol!I will try to make it up to u by updating e next one like slightly sooner than tis one? O.k? once again, e word is TRY.
Lips Records : I tried incorporating ur idea. I hope it fits. Thanx for e beta-ing n e encouraging words. N I hope we're gonna enjoy tis trip…if not…well..we can always…sell off u-know-u…muahahaha! Aquarians…hmmph!Brenda, no offence intended! (cheesy grin)
Amber Cloud : I don know whether I did describe e scenes in tis chpt…but maybe becoz I'm trying to concentrate on e emotional turmoil e charcters r in…instead of e environ..(sheepish grin). I will try to incorporate ur idea in e next chpt, promise!god, I love ur story…update soon!
Melodie568 : oh..u humbled me. U like it, huh? Well I hope u'll stick around for e continuation. Must admit though..I have no exact finale planned,actually..any particular suggestions?
Tat's it for now,I've got to continue packing my stuff. Thank u everyone for their humbling and encouraging reviews! Please, do continue to do so! I hope u like e developments that will unfold. I know I do!
30/09/2005
0208