Chapter Five

The sun had set, as she predicted, by the time the plane landed. Breanna found the rental booth across from the luggage return and was out of the airport in a matter of minutes. The drive to the hotel took less than ten minutes, and by the time her phone buzzed with a call from Isaac, she was unpacked, an empty bag from McDonald’s sitting on the bed beside her. She flipped on the video screen and smiled as her son’s chubby face was displayed.

“Hello, my darling,” she said with a wide grin. “How was your day?

“Good,” Isaac said, moving the computer screen around as if trying to find her. “Where are you?

“I’m in California. Where’s Grandpa?

“He’s here. We had tacos for dinner from the store.

“Were they good?” she asked, smiling as she heard her father’s deep chuckle in the background.

“Yes. I eat two of them.

“Ate,” she corrected. “What else did you do today?

“Gampa got me new skies. They are blue and red.

“You mean skis,” Breanna said with a heavy sigh. “I thought he was going to wait for a few weeks?

“I was,” Floyd said as his head appeared behind his grandson’s. “But it was a sad afternoon when someone realized his mommy wasn’t here, so we went shopping. I also got him a new pair of shoes and some tackle for his fishing kit.

“I thought you were going to try not to spoil him?

“I only got things that he needed.

“We went to your book-stop,” Isaac interrupted.

“Bookstore,” Breanna corrected again. “Did you get a new book?

“No, but we readed one. Mandy was there and let me draw on some papers while Gampa talked with a man.

“What man?” Breanna asked with a frown.

“Tyler Saddler,” Floyd answered. “He was just leaving when we got there, so I talked with him for a few minutes. He said to say thank you for organizing the papers he needed. He also told me to tell you how impressed he was with your handling of the store. If you continue to show a profit like the past six months, we’ll be able to buy the shop next door and expand.

“That would be wonderful. Maybe we can make a deal with the property manager and lease it before winter. I’d like to be able to start remodeling it before spring. We could have a grand re-opening.

“I’ll leave those details up to you, but if you want me to, I’ll call Castillo and talk with him about it before you get back.

“That would be great, thank you, just don’t offer him full price. We can lease it for a year at nine hundred a month without causing a strain on our books. I know he’s asking twelve hundred, but if he’s willing to lower the price, we’ll take care of the utilities ourselves.

She watched while her father began writing down notes, then smiled as Isaac’s little head filled the screen again.

“Lookit my new shoes,” he said excitedly, holding up a pair of hiking boots for her mother to see. “Gampa said they can keep my feet dry in the water. We’re going to go fish tomorrow and I’m going to get wet.

“Keep your lifejacket on,” Breanna insisted, “and listen to your grandpa. I don’t want you wandering off without him.

“I won’t. Gampa is going to help me set up my new fisherman’s-pole.

“You have a new fishing pole? What was wrong with the last one?

“I stepped on it and it broke.

“It was just an accident,” Floyd insisted, turning the screen of his computer towards him. “He laid it down on the grass then started playing with Percy.

“Please don’t spoil him,” she argued once again.

“That’s the last I’ll buy for him until you get back,” Floyd promised.

“Don’t forget my Mickey Mouse,” Isaac told her sternly.

“I have to find one first, but I won’t forget. I have to go now. I want you to take a bath tonight and I’ll call you after breakfast tomorrow.

“Okay. Love you, Mommy. When are you coming home?

“In a couple of days. You be good for Grandpa tonight. If you want to, you can sleep in my bed.

“Gampa said we can sleep under the table.

“Excuse me?” Breanna frowned.

“We’re going to make a tent out of the dining room table,” Floyd laughed. “I thought we could take the sleeping bags and have a campout.

“Alright. Have fun and be good for your teacher and Grandpa. I’ll call tomorrow.

“Night Mommy,” Isaac said kissing the computer screen.

Breanna smiled as she hung up, then hugged the phone close to her chest. A deep-seated feeling of guilt filled her as she thought about all her late husband had missed out on. He would never know what a wonderful son he had, and he would never hold him in his arms. And it was her fault he never had that chance.

Breanna looked around the luxuriously decorated funeral parlor at all the flowers that had been sent. She arrived just as they were unlocking the doors that morning, insisting that she pay her respects before leaving town. She wasn’t ready to see his family and wasn’t willing to endure any scolding on their parts.

She had spent a long night feeling the anxiety of the next few days wrap around her. She was trying to fight the urge to cry as she thought about how life could have been, then finally fell asleep shortly before midnight. She woke up in time to call Isaac and discover that his earache was back.

Floyd had experienced a long night with him as he cried for her. With his promise to take her son to the doctor, she assured the boy she’d be home soon, then hung up and dressed. She wanted to get these next two days over with, so she could go back home.

Breanna wandered into a large open room where her husband’s casket stood. She hesitated for several moments before drawing a deep breath and walking forward. She had to continue to remind herself what kind of man he had turned out to be. If Jasmin was telling her the truth, he had tried to repent for what he had done, but it was too little too late. She could never forgive him for the pain she’d suffered.

She stepped up beside the coffin and looked inside. With a frown, she inspected his pale features closely. There was a large gash across his forehead, but the funeral home had done a remarkable job diminishing its appearance. The makeup hid the bruises on his face, and his hands were crossed over his chest. She nearly snorted in disgust as she inspected the expensive dark blue Armani suit he had been dressed in.

Zachary was still as handsome as she remembered. She had imagined him to be thin, especially after Jasmin insisted that he wasn’t taking care of himself as well as he could. Instead, he seemed well-fed, content, and actually…lifelike. He didn’t appear to be dead at all, but rather sleeping.

“Excuse me, miss,” the funeral director said, stepping up behind her. “You need to sign the guestbook.

“Yes, just a moment. I just want to say goodbye.

“Did you know Mr. Kendall very well?

“Yes, you might say that.

Breanna watched the man walk out of the room before turning back to the coffin. With a deep sigh, she placed her hand on the edge.

“I will never forgive you for what you’ve done,” she whispered, then cleared her throat to fight back the tears. “But I need you to know…you have a son. His name is Isaac, and he’s the most precious thing in my life. I hope you can find peace where you are.

She gently touched his hand, amazed at how cold it felt, then turned and walked out of the room. She paused for a moment by the guestbook and frowned. There were seventeen pages of names, all from the day before. She glanced through them, recognizing many from her wedding, then flipped back to the last page. She signed her name then picked up a program from the stack left near the front entrance and left.

Breanna sat in the rental car for several long moments to collect her composure before she saw Jasmin’s car pull into the parking lot. She tried to start the car, but her friend pulled in beside her and waved. She was heavier then she remembered, but she knew Jasmin had a habit of eating boxes of chocolates instead of just one.

“Bree!” Jasmin shouted as she walked between the two cars. Breanna fought hard not to frown as she opened her door and stood up out of the car. She was wrapped in Jasmin’s embrace before she had the chance to think. “I can’t believe you’re here,” Jasmin said, brushing her dark curly hair out of her eyes as she released her friend from her grip. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I would have met you at the airport.

“I didn’t want anyone to know I was here, and I didn’t want you to tell Phillip. I knew he’d tell his parents, and I don’t want to deal with the onslaught of slander against me.

“Nobody has ever said anything against you,” Jasmin said with a frown. “Phillip felt horrible about everything that happened, and the Kendalls have tried to find you for years. Nicolas set up a trust fund for you, but he could never find you. Where did you go?

“Back east,” Breanna said, glancing around as another car pulled into the parking lot. “Listen, I need to go, but maybe we can get together before I leave.

“Leave? You mean you’re not going to stay? Zachary left you a very wealthy woman, and you have the trust fund. You could live in style the rest of your life.

“That’s not what I want, Jasmin. I’m happy with my life the way it is, and I’m not coming back here again. I have to go. I have other appointments while I’m in town, and I’m leaving after the funeral.

“Are you coming to the funeral?

“Yes…maybe…I don’t know. I have to go. I’ll contact you this afternoon and we can make plans to meet for supper.

Breanna hugged her friend again, then sat back down in her car. She started the engine but paused when she saw Phillip pull into the parking lot. For a moment it was like looking at Zachary and she couldn’t move. Then he stepped out of his expensive car, his leg in a cast, and the look of recognition on his face.

Without waiting for another encounter with her past, she put her car in gear and pulled away. She couldn’t get out of the parking lot fast enough to satisfy her anxieties. She had no idea the mourners would start showing up as early as they had, but she wasn’t willing to wait around to find out why they were.

She drove back down the road that would take her to the freeway, glancing in her rearview mirror to make certain she wasn’t being followed. Her nerves were jumping, her pulse racing, and she eagerly wanted to drive straight to the airport and escape before it was too late.

Driving out of Beverly Hills, she headed her car towards Pasadena. She wanted to get the lawyer taken care of before it was too late, or before her in-laws decided to contact him. If what Jasmin said was true, she may have more to worry about then she thought. If there was a trust fund set up for her, how was she supposed to dispose of it, as well as denying her place in the will?

Breanna pulled into the parking garage of the law offices to the Kendalls’ expensive, overpaid attorney. She turned off the ignition and picked up her purse, then stepped out of the rental car and locked it. By now, everyone was aware that she was back. Knowing Jasmin as well as she did, she highly doubted she would keep her mouth shut about the fact Breanna didn’t want her inheritance. Just so long as she could get into the lawyer and get out again with little difficulty, she didn’t care who else knew she was in California.

She walked to the elevator at the side of the garage and pressed the button to the lobby. She had no idea what office this lawyer was in, but she was certain there would be some kind of a directory or office list. She waited until the doors slid open and stepped in, noticing only two buttons, up and down. She pressed the button to take her up, watching the doors slide closed.

Within seconds, the doors opened again, and she found herself standing in the foyer of a large extravagantly furnished office. Breanna stepped out and looked to the attractive woman behind a narrow marble counter. She softly cleared her throat and stepped in front of her, feeling slightly underdressed in her black skirt and tights and black satin blouse.

“Do you have an appointment?” the attractive red-haired woman asked.

“No, but I’d like to speak with the attorney in charge of my husband’s will.

“I’m sorry, but without an appointment, I can’t help you.

“My name is Breanna Neuman…my…husband was Zachary Kendall.

The redhead looked up with a strange expression, then eyed Breanna as if inspecting her for parasites. Without saying a word, she picked up the phone and pressed a button.

“Mrs. Zachary Kendall is here to speak with you,” she said into the white receiver. The woman hung up the phone and drew a deep breath.

“Please have a seat.

“Thank you,” Breanna answered, turning and walking to a white leather seat.

She sat down and felt the strange tingle of apprehension caress her. She was nervous, anxious, and a little frightened. She had no idea who the man was she was about to meet, and she really didn’t care. She wanted this over with as quickly as possible, so she could get out of this modern, overly decorated office of leather and plastic.

“Mrs. Kendall,” a young woman said, stepping out of the back hallway. “I’m Serena Hansen. I was your late husband’s attorney.

“You were his…” Breanna paused, trying to fight the jealous stream that rose up inside her.

The woman was tall, at least five-ten, with long dyed blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was thin with large breasts and tiny hands.

“I’m sorry,” Breanna said, realizing she had been staring at the woman. “I was expecting a man. The name on the papers I received…”

“Was my father,” Serena said with a knowing grin. “The law offices were created by my dad and his cousins. They retired about a year ago, so I run the place now. I understand you wanted to speak with me regarding the will. Come with me to my office where we can talk in private.

Breanna followed the woman down the hallway, amazed by how large the office was. She stopped when Serena paused beside an elevator and pressed a button. She hadn’t paid much attention to the building when she pulled into the parking, but she was curious as to the design of the place now.

“I’m sorry about your husband’s death,” Serena said as they stepped into the elevator. “He was a very nice man, and he loved you a great deal. Your future was all he cared about.

“Why?” Breanna asked, watching the woman press the button that again said up.

“He told me a little of what happened between you two. He felt horrible for hurting you and it caused him a great deal of agony. He could never forgive himself for what he’d done.

“Were you close to Zachary?

“Not like you’re thinking,” Serena chuckled. “I prefer women over men, but Zachary and I went to school together. I’ve known him for years…or rather knew him. It’s going to be strange not having him around for parties and holidays.

“I suppose I never knew him as well as I thought I did,” Breanna said as the elevator doors slid open. “I never knew what kind of drunk he was.

“Zachary didn’t like drinking, and he told me…I’ve known the twins for a long time, but I never knew him to get that drunk. He usually passed out after five or six drinks.

“He had a lot more than that at the reception.

“I know, I was there. I didn’t understand how he got so much, though. I saw him with a drink in his hand, but I didn’t really see him drinking it. It was strange when I heard the rumors of what had happened.

“If you don’t mind, I’d really rather not discuss that night,” Breanna said with a tight clenching of her jaw.

“I apologize,” Serena replied, walking down the hallway towards a set of double doors. “Your husband left you a very wealthy woman, and I need you to sign some papers. Your father-in-law also set up a trust fund for you, for when you were found. We can take care of all the documents today, and I’ll have the money transferred into your account this afternoon.

“I don’t want the inheritance or the trust fund,” Breanna said as the woman pushed the doors open and walked into a luxurious office of creams and golds. “I did some research and I know I can disclaim the inheritance. I’m not sure about the trust fund, but I don’t want anything from the Kendalls. Perhaps it can be given to a children’s hospital or to the medical school for research.

“I understand how you feel,” Serena said, sitting behind the white desk. “Zachary anticipated you wouldn’t want to take his money if anything were to happen to him, so he placed a clause in his will rejecting the disclaimer. You have one of two choices. You can either take the money now, or it will remain in the bank collecting interest. The decision is yours.

“Then I’ll just have the bank write out a check and give it to charity.

“You can’t do that either. Your husband loved you very much, despite what happened between you. He wanted to provide for your future. You can only give ten percent a year to charity, and only five percent to family or friends. You can’t gamble it away or spend it frivolously. You also cannot spend it on future lovers or husbands. The money is yours and cannot be transferred to a joint account with another man. I’m sorry, Breanna, but the money is yours and you cannot get rid of it.

Breanna was silent for several long minutes as Serena gathered the papers together. She couldn’t believe her husband would force his wealth on her, knowing she didn’t want it. As far as she was concerned, it was over between her and the Kendall clan, but apparently Zachary had other ideas.

“Why would he make it, so I couldn’t refuse the money?” she asked in a soft voice, more to herself than to Serena.

“Zachary wanted to give you the happiness he knew he couldn’t, while he was alive,” the blonde said, setting the papers in front of her. “He truly did love you, Breanna. You were the only thing he ever talked about.

“How did you find me?

“The Kendalls hired a private investigator over a year ago. He learned that you were in Vermont. Once he found your father, it was only a matter of watching you until he had the information he needed.

“Do the Kendalls know where I live?

“Yes, but they received the information two weeks ago. They were planning on going to Vermont to speak with you, but then Zachary and Phillip were in the accident, and…well, the rest is history.

“What happened to him?

“The boys went out to celebrate their birthdays. Phillip insisted that Zachary had to get out of the house for a little while. There was a group of friends who went to Quartette’s, then they decided to stop by one of the clubs they liked to hang out. Phillip talked Zachary into having one drink, but he gave him another one, and another until he couldn’t walk straight. Phillip insisted on driving the two home, but he had just as much to drink, if not more than Zachary had. They swerved into the back of a milk tanker. Zachary was killed instantly, and Phillip was put in the hospital. He had a concussion and broke his leg, but he survived. It has been hard on Phillip. He blames himself for his brother’s death.

“I’m sorry for all that happened,” Breanna said sadly.

“It’s been really tough on the Kendalls. The twins were their only children. Phillip has always been the wild one, while Zachary was more level headed and calm. Since you left, he moved back in with his parents, but nobody really saw him. He stayed by himself most of the time. He went through a huge depression and was put on medication. I think that’s why the alcohol affected him so quickly that night.

Breanna didn’t say anything as Serena stood up and walked around to the opposite side of the desk. She picked up the papers and offered them to the young brunette, then settled back in a chair.

The two women spent the next twenty minutes going through the documents while Serena explained all the details of the will and the trust fund. Breanna tried to listen, but all she could think about was the accident that killed her husband. She signed the papers where she was told to, then waited while Serena sat back down at the desk.

“I’ll get these filed today and I’ll need a deposit slip from you, so the money can be transferred to your account,” Serena told her. “Since there are no inheritance taxes in California or Vermont, and this is not considered income, you won’t have to worry about the government getting a piece of the pie. Depending on how long your bank takes to verify funds, the money should be available for you by tomorrow.

“Miss Hansen, do you mind if I ask you how much Zachary left me?” Breanna asked, fearing the answer before she heard it.

“He gave you everything he had to his name at the time of his death. He received an inheritance from his grandfather last year when he died, and there was his own personal trust fund from his parents. With his investments and the stocks, it’s roughly around ten million dollars. The trust fund the Kendalls set in place for you was for five million, with an interest rate of 3.37 percent. That is roughly an additional hundred and sixty-eight thousand dollars.

“Good Lord,” Breanna gasped.

“As I said, your husband left you a very wealthy woman. What are you going to do with all that money?

Breanna thought for a moment as the image of her son came into her mind. She couldn’t wrap her head around how much it truly was and couldn’t think beyond the numbers.

“I don’t know,” she said softly.

“Life has a sneaky way of catching up to you. Perhaps you’d be wise to start investing it. Real estate is always a sound investment, but I’d avoid the stock market for the time being. I’d hate to see you lose everything on a piece of bad advice.

“Perhaps it’s time I saved for that rainy day I’ve always heard about.

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