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Chapter 10. Strong willed, part II
The silence when Mrs. Clifford had read the whole letter was deafening, for about five seconds. Then everyone could hear Helen draw in breath, most likely to start a rant of epic proportions. Before she could even start Mrs. Clifford looked straight at her.
"Mrs. Plum, before you say anything you will regret later, I would like to add that I have recorded everything ever since we came into this room. I am now able to prove that you have heard the stipulations of the will. Anything you say after this is a possibility for you to lose the money after your mother. Please, think before you say anything."
"Why, I've never! I'll…"
Before she could say anything else Valerie got her silent by the expedient method of putting her hand in front of her mother's mouth.
"Quiet mother. If you can't be civil towards Stephanie, I dare say you deserve to lose the money!"
Helen's face got even redder than before, but Val didn't move her hand from Helen's mouth.
Mrs. Clifford calmly distributed copies of the will and letter to everybody in the room. Valerie after a while took her hand away. Helen was silent, but it sure looked like she was steaming. Mrs. Clifford then went through the will point by point. Albert had a few questions, but mostly of a technical nature. He even commended Mrs. Clifford for a very well written piece.
"I know I said we shouldn't either contest or approve before we've had a chance to read through it all in peace and quiet. I still think that is a sensible approach, but I must also say that this is a well written will, and I don't see any chance of a contest to be approved, rather just having the consequences mentioned both in the will and the letter."
Helen said something under her breath, but too quiet to be heard. Her glare at Stephanie at the same time said more than words.
"You have one month to sign the will and get it back here, or the same amount of time to contest the will," said Mrs Clifford. "If you want to contest it, you have to file your signed written appeal at the notary at the town hall."
She rose from the table, and this was the sign for the Plum/Kloughn family to rise as well.
"If I could have a word with you, Ms. Plum," Mrs. Clifford said to Stephanie.
"Of course."
Helen gave them a suspicious look, but didn't say anything. Mrs. Clifford shook all their hands in a goodbye, and then she and Stephanie relocated to her office.
"Coffee?"
"Yes, please," Stephanie said.
"I just wanted you to sign this receipt for the money Edna already gave you."
"Of course."
"And I also wanted to give your mother time to get away from the building. One might say I wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Hopefully this will be enough to get her to cool down. It seemed that your sister might get through to her."
Stephanie just nodded, and took a sip of her coffee.
"Do you think your mother will contest?"
"It depends on whether she is sober and rational," Stephanie sighed. "It could go either way. Val might be able to make her see sense. I'm afraid that Albert is a bit too timid to get her to listen, even if he is a lawyer."
She took another sip.
"I was wondering if you would be willing to help me make a will?"
"Of course. It is, after all, my job."
"I believe it will be an easy job. If I die I want my nieces to have everything split equally between them. And they can access the money at 21, just like grandma's money."
"That absolutely sounds like a simple and straightforward will. Why don't you book a time with my secretary, preferably next week, and I will have it written out in legalese."
Stephanie drained her coffee, and got up.
"I will do that. Thank you for your help, Mrs. Clifford. I'm glad grandma found you, and that you did such a good job of seeing to her wishes."
"Even though I only met Edna a few times she made quite an impression on me. I'm glad I could help her, and hopefully you as well. And if your mother starts in on you, please contact me."
They shook hands, and Stephanie left after having booked a time next week efter her normal working hours. Thankfully Mrs. Clifford worked late at Thursdays.
Outside the office door she took a deep breath, went down the stairs, and then drove home. Her car looked the same as when she parked it, no new scratches or dents, but then again, her mother would not do anything improper, at least not if anyone could see her. And to be honest, the car wasn't exactly in mint condition.
At home she changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, ate a PB and olive sandwich and took a deep breath and then put on her cell phone. She had turned it off before she went into the solicitor's office. She called the voicemail.
"You have fifteen new messages."
The first made her smile.
"Hi Steph, Mary Lou here. I just wanted to say that I hope the will reading will be OK, and if not, you know you can count on me. I have your back, honey. Hugs."
The second through fifth were again someone breathing heavily. She had had about five to ten every week since Morelli went away, but normally not called in at day time. Maybe she had a new stalker? No, she was almost sure it had to be Morelli. She pondered if she should ask Hector to check it for her, but she didn't want him to kill anyone for her, and if he knew all about Morelli's harassment, chances were Joe would disappear.
The next call was her dad.
"Hi Pumpkin. I'll try to get your mother to sign the will, it was Edna's money, and she definitely could do what she wanted with it. I don't know what has gotten your mother in such a snit. I believe she's been talking to Morelli as well, but he's not even in Trenton right now. Bye."
The next call was from her mother, and Stephanie steeled herself when she heard her voice.
"Stephanie. I expect you for dinner tonight at six o'clock."
Well, at least she didn't yell or threaten, Steph thought. She pondered whether she should go to dinner or not. Maybe she should just change her phone number? Stephanie knew that postponing a meeting with her mother wouldn't get her to calm down, but on the other hand she was nervous about her new job, and she didn't need an evening of not so subtle hints concerning grandchildren, work options and Joe Morelli. She decided that she would wait with a Plum family dinner for some days. Maybe the news about her quitting as a bounty hunter would mellow her mother? Then again, probably not…
She listened at the rest of the messages. More breathing, one from Val that said she would try to get their mother to see sense, and stressing that she, Val, thought the will was fair, and that she would absolutely not contest it.
A couple of messages was from Burg busybodies saying that they had heard that Edna had written a will, and maybe she could give them the details. Surprisingly unsubtle, maybe they were a bit gossip starved now that Edna wasn't a regular at the Clip and Curl?
Taking a deep breath she called her parents' house. Helen answered.
"Hi mum, it's Steph."
"Stephanie. I hope this doesn't mean you're not coming to dinner."
"I'm afraid so. I have a lot of things going on right now. I promise I will come by and talk to you and dad soon. Bye."
She ended the call without giving her mother a chance to say anything. Ten seconds later her phone started ringing, but she let it go to voicemail.
Sitting down on her lumpy couch she looked around the apartment. Having a more well paid job than what she had been able to scrounge as a BEA for Vinnie maybe she should allow herself a new couch? She didn't need a high end one, but one without lumps and cooties would be welcome. And maybe didn't have colours that clashed with the other furniture… A quick look at her watch saw her heading to a furniture store. She found a medium blue couch on sale, big enough for her to lie down, but not too bulky and squishy. She splurged on a couple of matching pillows and a cozy blanket, and arranged for the couch to be delivered at a time when she would be at home. They even promised to take her old one with them for a small fee.