The Missing Inheritance

He stood and walked to the bookcase against the wall.  After removing a file from the top of it, he returned to his desk.  “When I’m through telling you all you need to know, this letter is for you from Nola.  He took an envelope from the folder and placed it on his desk, before he sat down again.  “She said it explains everything.”  He set the folder on the desk beside the envelope.

Holly found herself growing warm, feeling herself more and more interested in this strange situation.  Could the story possibly be true?  Could it have any credibility at all?  What if it were true?  Why hadn’t her parents informed her of an adoption?

“You see, Nola died only two weeks ago.  Her funeral was last week, the day before I sent you the first letter.  Nola insisted I notify you after the funeral.”

“Why was that?” she asked.

He shrugged.  “She never said, but she no doubt had a good reason.”

“I’d question that,” Holly replied.  “After all, if she couldn’t get in touch with me while she lived, why bother after she died?  Obviously she didn’t want to see me, or know me.  I find that very strange.  Did she have mental problems?  Perhaps this is all a figment of her imagination.”

He shook his head.  “I did my research before all this began, Miss Smith.  What I’ve told you is accurate.  Now as to why Nola acted as she did, no one will ever know.  But I can assure you she had no mental problems.  She remained lucid and sane until the end.”

Feeling a little regret for having asked such a thoughtless question, Holly felt herself flush.  Damn, she thought, I’ve made a fool of myself.

The attorney took a deep breath, one of resignation.  “Perhaps I should start at the end, so you’ll understand the importance of this will.”

This puzzled her further.  “How could there be much importance to it?  I still can’t believe I’m related.”

“You are, and that’s why it was very important to your mother.”

“But I keep telling you she’s not…”

He removed a paper from the folder and slipped it across the desk to her.  “Here, this is your birth certificate.”

Holly read it.  Stunned, she couldn’t find words to speak.  When she looked up at him, he nodded his assurances.

“You see, it is true, Holly.”  He spoke her name with a great deal of sympathy, though she had no sense of why.

“Now,” he began again.  “To start at the end of the reasons for this will.  “Your mother would like you to take over the guardianship of your two younger sisters.”