The Billionaire Bride's Diary

Episode Three

Diary Entry # 305 -

Keep in mind, precious daughter, the love of money is the root of all evil and all sorts of dangerous, injurious things, and by reaching out for this love, you can trap many, and they won't be able to escape without stabbing themselves all over with many pains. Therefore, my dear Pearl, you must use this knowledge and wisdom to your advantage.

Where there is a 'Will':

"Mama! Mama! Where are you? Did you know Pammie had a legal written Will?!" Lisa asked as she came rushing through the kitchen door of her mother's house shouting.

"Girl, calm all that noise down. I have been on my feet working 14 hours straight at the factory, and I have a headache. Now, what is this about, Pammie again?" The mother asked.

"A law firm contacted me today at work and told me that they would like to meet with us, the family to discuss Pammie's and Leonard's legal Will. You didn't get a call from a law firm today?" Lisa inquired.

"Oh yeah, I got that call from the lawyer, some three or four days ago." The mother tells her daughter Lisa.

"You did?! Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"Lisa, you are not the only child I have. I have two boys, and I have two girls. The only one I thought about telling was Jason, since he likes to go missing for months at a time, and we don't know when we will see him again."

"Jason! Why? Because he's the oldest and the most trifling?" Lisa exclaims, agitated at her mother's reply.

"Look, it doesn't matter how your brother behaves. I have to look out for him. That boy is still my child. I'm just happy Leonard's mother can keep Deja right now. I can't miss any more days after they gave me off for Pammie's funeral. My supervisor told me I don't have any more days to take off from work."

"So, what do you think Pammie left us, mama?" Lisa asked excitedly. "I already took most of her clothes. She probably was going to leave them to me anyway."

Pee-Wee, Lisa's younger brother, who's two years older than their sister Pammie, comes through the door.

"What's up, Yappy? What are you all excited about today? I heard you way outside by the driveway." Pee-Wee asks his older sister Lisa, who rolls her eyes at him.

"Shut up, Pee-Wee! Don't you see Mama and me having grown folk conversation?" Lisa snaps at him.

"The only grown-up I see in this kitchen is my Mama. Hey Mama, what's cooking?" Pee-Wee asks, kissing his mother on the cheek.

"Hey Pee-Wee, I'm glad you came over. This Saturday, 'we,' meaning all the family, have to go to the reading of your sister's Will."

"What? That's cool! I knew Pammie was the smart one. I hope my baby sister left us some hard cold cash because a boy is broke right about now."

"You managed to stay broke and jobless, for that matter!" Lisa tells her brother, slapping him on the back of the neck.

"Hey Yappy, can you lend me twenty dollars? I'll pay you back after we go to the Will reading. I was Pammie's favorite sibling, and she always gave me fifty dollars here and there. So tell me, Mama, how did you manage to have only one beautiful, smart daughter?" Pee-Wee says, poking his tongue out at his sister Lisa.

"You two, stop the foolishness! The question I have is, who do you think she expects to raise Deja? I hope she knew I couldn't do it!" Pamela's mother said. "I had a hard time raising all four of my kids. I love Deja, but guys, Mama can't do it. So I'm still the breadwinner in the family, and I'm still helping all of you."

"Oh, Mama, we will help out as best we can. Want we Pee-Wee?"

"I got to see how my girlfriend feels about that." He replies. "I feel Lisa. You are in the best position to raise the girl."

"Boy, I already have a hand full. I'm barely able to keep a man. One more mouth to feed would be too much."

"I'll raise her. Pamela would probably give the person who was willing to raise her daughter the most money. I'll do it!" Pee-Wee says, now all excited, rubbing his hands together all greedily.

"No, no. You were right, Pee-Wee. I'm the one in the best position to raise her."

"You're only saying that now because you don't want me to have the money!"

"All you are going to do with it is waste it on showboating and spending it on girls! I'll raise her mommy."

"What if Pamela has already decided to let Leonard's mother raise her?"

The family got quiet, thinking about it carefully. Knowing there was nothing they could do about that, Deja had every right to be with her dad's family and grandmother.

*********

Meanwhile, back in Paris, France, Olivia Dubois is at the height of finding her ex-fiance and destroying him in the worst way possible, financially! So driven and committed to her cause of revenge that she is shocked to receive a call from her best friend Pamela Crush's Lawyer.

"Good afternoon. Is this Olivia Dubois?"

"Yes, it is. How can I help you?" Olivia replies, recognizing the American accent in the man's tone at the other end of the line.

"Ma'am, I'm calling from the United States at Law firm Russells Roussel. I'm Michael Roussel, Pamela and Leonard Crush's family lawyer. As you know, the Crushes passed away a few months ago, and I wanted to inform you that we will be reading the Will and trust with the families this Thursday evening."

"I understand, but what does that have to do with me, Sir?"

"Well, ma'am, according to the Crushes' Will, you have been asked to be the legal guardian to their little six-year-old daughter, Deja Crush."

"Wait, that can't be right. What about Pamela's family, her mother, sir?"

"Mr. Roussel, ma'am. Well, that's why I'm calling and informing you first before I meet with Mrs. Crush's family. If they contact you. I'm quite sure the family may try to reach you soon. I will also send a copy of the legal documents to you. That way, you will have this as proof in writing. If you have any questions, feel free to call me Ms. Dubois."

"Sir, when will all of this go into effect?" Olivia asked, concerned and bewildered by the information.

"I know this takes time, so how much time will you need to prepare for the child to come to Paris? A week? Maybe two weeks?"

"A week! No, no, no, that's too soon."

"Alright, Miss Dubois, in two weeks, someone from my office will contact you to see what your status is in two weeks."

"I won't be ready in that short amount of time. I'm still in shock, sir, over the death of my friend. I've been through a great deal myself."

"We'll call you in two weeks. We view this as an urgent matter whenever a child is in our care at Russell's and Roussel's. The Crushes must have confidence that you can handle this matter for them, in their absence, Miss Dubois. I don't think they would be leaving their most precious daughter in your care, considering the circumstances. They are relying on and trusting in you, Miss Dubois, even over their family and flesh in blood."

The phone conversation ended with Olivia sitting there in the car's back seat, stunned and in a daze. Raymonde looks at her through the rearview mirror of the vehicle.

"Lady Olivia, is everything okay?" Raymonde asks, concerned as he turns to see a face full of anguish as she hung her head, fighting back the tears. Raymonde quietly turns back around.

Olivia looked up into the rearview, seeing Raymonde's worried expression. Then, she sighs, wiping the creases of her eyes, "I just got a call from an American lawyer who is representing my friend Pamela Crush, telling me that she and her husband have left their child to me in their Will. A child, Raymonde!"

"What!?" Raymonde replied surprisingly.

"Pamela has often told me how selfish and pathetic her siblings had been in the past."

Though Olivia's life had recently become emotionally disruptive and hectic, she thought of Pammie and how kind she had been to her over the years. She could honestly say that Pammie would do it for her if the shoes were on the other foot.

"Lady Olivia, what did you tell him?"

"I asked the lawyer to give me some time to get my affairs in order. He said they would contact me in two weeks to see if I'm ready to receive the child."

"Raymonde, what am I going to do? I don't know anything about raising a child."

"Maybe you could give her up for adoption to a family who needs and wants a child," Raymonde suggests reluctantly.

"Can you do that? No, I couldn't, I wouldn't. Not Pammie's little girl." Olivia sighs heavily.