Remind me why

Chapter Two

“ I’d like to start by saying I’m so sorry for your loss, this is the only part of my job I hate. The loss of a loved one too soon always hurts.” He says as he gathers the papers and takes a seat behind his desk. “ Your mother came to me a couple of years ago with her will soon after she found out she was sick, she didn’t know it would take her this quickly she expected a few more years.” “ I didn’t know she was sick, I didn’t know anything about her or if she was even alive until a couple of days ago when you called me.” I say as I look around the room avoiding having to look into his pity filled eyes. The room was all but bare, besides a book case and a fake dusty plant, a large clock on the wall above a painting of a lake. “I’m sorry for that, Ms. Walker, I’m sure she regretted that.” He says softly, he clears his throat. “Well let’s get into it then, first she left you this letter. Instructed that you read it when you are alone and home.” He slides it over to me. It is a blank white envelope with my name scribbled on it in a foreign handwriting I haven't seen in years. “As the only living child and the blood of Diana Ray Walker, we will start with her donations, then to what she has left you.” He takes a breath and begins reading “I Diana Walker donate ten hundred thousand dollars to the women’s and children shelter. I donate ten hundred thousand dollars to Mountainside rehabilitation center.” My body begins to shake as my heart rate rises, I don’t hear anything other than my heart thumping in my chest and blood rushing past my ears. How in the world does my mother have that kind of money? She was in debt, so much debt when she had lost me to the foster system. I start listening back in when he says my name “and then to my daughter Adaline Ray Walker the house, and all my belongings. I leave the rest of my funds to her as well.” He clears his throat. “ Here is her bank account after the 500,000 is taken for donations, leaving you with 1.2 million.” He says as he slides the papers over to me, with shaking hands. I grab the paper and start at it. I suck in a breath when my eyes slide over the amount left in her account. “The transfer of the money will happen the day after you sign the papers stating I read you the will and accept the house, belonging and funds. I know this is a shock to you, Ms. Walker, but from the little time I came to know your mother, she had very deep wounds and regrets. She never did say what the wounds and regrets were, but I assume they were not finding you.” I look up at him from the paper, and stared for a moment trying to make sure if he had the right person. “How did she gain all this money?” I asked with a shaken voice “She was married some of it was gained in her divorce and then the rest she made through stocks and investments. I assume while she was married." I stared at him in disbelief and mouth hung open like a fish out of water. My mother invests in stocks and other things. My mother was the one who couldn’t take care of me, the same one who couldn’t keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. And would leave me for days as she was high or looking for her next hit and knew how to invest before she died. “ I know it’s a lot to take in, hopefully the letter she left will explain more than I can.” He slides another paper my way with a pen on top “so at the bottom of this paper is where you will sign it’s just saying you understand everything I’ve told you and accept the things left to you. Just sign and date it and you are all set.” He says so casually, I take the pen and stare at the paper. I took a breath trying to steady my hand as I signed at the bottom of the page. “Alright, you are all set to go, the funds will be transferred to your account tomorrow. Here is a copy of everything along with the keys and address to the house. I will submit the paperwork tomorrow for that to be transferred to your name as well and will give you a call when I have the right paperwork for you to sign. That will take a bit longer to do, but no more than a couple of weeks. Any questions?” He says as he stacks papers and looks at me. “ Uh no” I mutter, “Alright, then any questions come up feel free to give me a call.” He says as he stands, and sticks his hand out to me. I followed his lead and stood shaking his hand and turned towards the door, rushed out before he said anything else and shove the papers into my purse, not caring that they would get crumbled.

I rush to the sidewalk in disbelief, panting as my heart rate increases. All I hear is the thumping of my heart as I start walking mindlessly. How on earth is this happening? Why is she leaving this to me? When she clearly didn’t want anything to do with me for years. Is it because I'm her only blood and she has no one else? She didn’t come after me. She didn’t try to make amends. But left me over a million dollars and a house. The panic attack started to set in. As I go to walk across the street without even looking. A horn blares loudly, a hand grabs my upper arm and yanks me hard into their chest, knocking the air out of my lungs, not that there was much in them anyway. “What are you doing!? Trying to get yourself killed?” A man growls. I go to talk but can’t breathe, so I end up looking like a fish out of water yet again today. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing and try to listen to everything but my racing heart. “Hey, are you alright?” The man says again, a lot calmer than a second ago. He pulls me away from the road but, still unable to breathe, I shake my head no with my eyes still squeezed shut “Jesus Christ, breathe you weren’t that close to being hit. Only would have been grassed by the car.” He says, if only that’s why I was panicking right now. Getting hit by a car would have done me a favor by getting me out of my panic attack. “Breathe deeply in through your nose and out your mouth, like this”. I hear him breathe in deeply and let the same breath out. I attempt to do the same thing, but it comes out shaky and quick. “Look at me.” I open my eyes and look into a pair of dark piercing blue eyes. If I already didn’t have air in my lungs, it would have been taken by the sight of them. “Breathe in” he breathes in and so do I “Breathe out”, he exhales and so do I “Again”, he demands, and I listen. Slowly my heart calms down, and I’m able to take a normal breath and then all I do is stare at the gorgeous man in front of me. “Thank you”, I say softly and glance away from his intense stare, “uh for saving my life and that.” I gesture with my hand but comes off more like a wave “You’re welcome.” He says “Try not to walk into the road again while the cars are moving.” “ Yeah that’s not something I normally do but thank you again. Addie”, I say as I stick my hand out, he takes my hand in his and shakes it. I notice his hand is huge, swallowing mine, it is rough and warm. I stare at his hand engulfing mine, then when I realize it, I yank it away. His touch sent a tingle down my arm, I felt my face start to burn, and before he could say anything else, I turned and took off down the street and called a cab. I quickly climbed in and gave him my address. Once I’m home, I rush inside, slam the door and lock it like someone was chasing me. I quickly shed my clothes off, aside from my underwear, and rushed to my room. I throw my bedding back onto my bed and climb underneath it and hide from the world.