Last will?

Pressing stop on the camera, Richard starts shuffling the papers together on his desk, and without looking up, tells his client, “I think I got everything I need.”

“How did I do? That was fun!” exclaims his client James Kelley.

In a somber tone Richard replies, “You were fine. Are you sure you want to do it this way? I have never been involved or associated with anything like this before.”

Still with a smile on his face and almost laughing “Why would I care? I’ll be dead! Part of me wants be able to see their faces once they find out.”

“I told you that if your family knew the requests of your will while you were still alive, they could try and claim that you are not in the right state of mind and try to get power of attorney.”

“I know. I know. I know.”

“When did you decide you wanted to do it this way? All these years I have been your attorney – I always thought you were happy.”

With a more serious look on his face James replies, “Why? Because I never filed for divorce or cut the kids completely off? That is stuff for my therapist, not my attorney. He is much cheaper per hour and with advice that is cheaper to follow.”

“Ok, James. What would you like done with your remains?”

Getting up from the chair James responds, “What’s the best way to be remembered forever?”

“A statue?” Richard replies, unsure of what James was meaning.

Walking backwards toward the door and pointing at Richard with a huge smile on his face, “There you go! Make it happen!!”

James closes the door on his way out of Richard’s office, who is really not sure how to proceed.

Over the past couple of weeks Richard had finalized all of James’ last will and testament paperwork, along with the video which was filmed in their previous meeting. James will be in his office this afternoon at 1pm to review and sign. Richard has the conference room set up so that he can show the video to James and make sure he knows exactly how he wants the last will and testament read off to the parties involved. There were so many questions that kept popping into his head, but he knew that James would never answer them. James has always kept things close to the chest and only shared what information he felt Richard needed to do his job. What Richard does know is that James is married and based on the will, not happily to his wife Sam. Sam has a son, Brandon, and a daughter, Ashley, from a previous marriage who is her pride and joy, but a nuisance to everyone else. James has one daughter, also from a previous marriage, Avery, and they seem to be very close. He owns a successful restaurant and bar that has allowed James to do really well for himself. He has quite an estate. In addition to the restaurant, Philly’s, he gets residual income from investments he has made into local hospitals, which has allowed him to purchase a vacation home in the Dominican. James isn’t very old, 55, and seems in good health. It was out of the blue that James had contacted Richard about getting his will set up. The most unorthodox will that Richard has ever been a part of.

Coming through the speakers in the conference room “Now the conclusion from my lawyer.” The last words from the projection of James on the projection screen. James turns to Richard, “I love it”.

Without responding right away, Richard looks at the paperwork in front of him and asks, “What is going on? It feels like something has happened and affected you deeply.”

“I’m dying. And by dying, I mean soon.”

“Oh my god what is it?”

“I don’t understand all of the medical stuff, but I trust my doctor and he has been helping me through this journey, along with my therapist who has helped me get through all of the different emotions I have been experiencing.”

“How is Sam doing through all of this?”

“Sam?” James asks with a side glance. “Samantha doesn’t know and neither do any of the kids. I want to keep it that way. I don’t want to be treated any different and just enjoy what time I have left.”

“How much time do you have left?”

“Not very long. On a different note, I have the pictures of the restaurant and Dominican house that you wanted. There are a lot of them. Can I connect to your computer to upload them?”

Still with a shocked look on his face Richard replies, “Sure.” 

“Richard, you look a bit distracted. Let me see your computer, and I will take care of it if you don’t mind.”

Without even blinking and still trying to process what he just heard he slides his computer over to James.

“Richard. Look at me. I am more than ok with it. Can only control what we can control, right?”

James looks at Richards computer and as he navigates through the settings, he pairs it up to his cell phone. The photos start to move over, and James asks, “Did you figure out a statue of me yet?”

Shaking his head quickly as if snapping back to present, “No. Sorry I have not. Were you serious?”

With a half-smile James responds, “That’s ok. Oh, and my doctor will take care of my remains for me. We already have everything set up. I am sure that will be taken care of before the reading of the will. I do not want a funeral or remembrance ceremony. As you know I don’t really have friends so no need to prolong anything.”

“Funerals are for the living – to help loved ones get closure.”

“Not my problem, and I don’t want my estate to pay for it. I know no one else will.”

After a long pause and seeing that James is being serious.  Richard replies almost defeated, “Ok James.”

“To be clear. If I drop dead as soon as I walk out of your office, you have everything you need to execute my will?”

“Yes James.”

“Please get all the parties involved together as quick as you can. All the income flows through me so I would think it would be important to communicate everything to keep everything going smoothly.”

“Ok James.”

Looking Richard in the eye and in a serious tone James states, “You have really made this all the more enjoyable for me Richard.”

“It is not one of the more enjoyable parts of being an attorney, but you are welcome.”

James jumps up out of his seat, “I pay by the hour so time for me to leave.”

With almost a sad look in his eyes, Richard asks, “Do you want to grab a drink I could use a drink. Off the clock of course. As friends.”

Squinting his eyes and with a tight lip James responds, “It is never a good idea to mix business with pleasure. Things could get messy.” Richard is not sure how to take James’ comment, and his head tilts as if to wonder where the comment came from.

James cracks a smile as he turns towards the double doors of the conference room, “Gotta go. My doctor has all of your contact information.”

One-week later James passed away. He had checked into the hospital, fell asleep and never woke up. As requested, his doctor, Dr. Brent Higgins, took care of the arrangements for James’ remains. Richard had received a call from Dr. Higgins informing him that James had passed. Richard never spoke to James after he left the conference room a week prior, and he still has reservations how that meeting ended. There was nothing he could do about it now but get everyone in the will together to go over the specifics. The list includes:

James’ wife Samantha, stepson Brandon, stepdaughter Ashley, his daughter Avery, his doctor Dr. Higgins, and his therapist Bryan Davis. James did say if anyone wanted to bring a spouse or significant other, they could. One by one Richard reached out to everyone and all accepted the invitation to be at the reading. The only person who asked if they could bring someone was his therapist Bryan. He asked if it was ok to bring his wife Rachel. They had a meeting later in the day near Richard’s office, and it will really make it more convenient if she could come along.  Richard obliged. Everyone would be in the conference room Thursday at 9am.

 Thursday 9am

Everyone is seated at the conference table, Richard at the head of the table, and James’ will in front of him. The laptop was set up off to the right and ready to play the video.

“I would like to welcome everyone for being here this morning. I know that we are all mourning the death of our loved one and friend, James. He had requested this be executed as quickly as possible.”

Richard had placed boxes of tissues around the conference table, but no one seemed to need one. No one looked upset.

“James prepared a video message that he requested that I play for everyone today.” 

Richard turns to his computer and starts hitting some keys and looks up at the screen expecting the video to start, but it doesn’t. He is feeling nervous knowing that there could be some surprised individuals in the room shortly.  Next to Richard was Rachel, Bryan’s wife, who noticed Richard getting flustered.

“Would you like me to see if I can get it to play? I work with these things all the time.”

Somewhat relieved and a little embarrassed, Richard slides the laptop over to Rachel and mouths the words “Thank you.”

Pointing at the monitor Rachel asks, “Is this the video?”

“Yes.”

Rachel moves her finger around on the mouse pad, hits a few keys, and while everyone is watching her and waiting James’ face appears on the screen larger than life.

All attention in the room is now on James and anxiously waiting to hear what he had to say.

“If you are watching this, I am no longer here. I have moved on. I want all of you know that I am ok, and I am at peace. Let me get right to it.”

“Bryan. Thank you for everything. You really helped me through difficult times and allowed me to see that I could not control others, only how I react to other’s actions. For this I will always be grateful. I am donating 10% of my estate to your practice so that you can expand the resources and amenities to help children, and their parents, who are in need and do not have the means to pay.”

Rachel reaches for Bryan’s arm with a look of joy on her face. Bryan is in disbelief with tears welling in his eyes. Bryan does not notice the stare coming from Samantha, but Richard does.

“Brent. We have a long history together. Not just my physician, but also a business partner.” Smiling James continues, “We had a good run, didn’t we?”

Dr. Higgins smiles and nods his head, barely audible he replies to the video, “Yes we did.”

“I have already invested a ton of money into our different endeavors, but I would like to make one more. I am donating 10% of my estate to be invested in the research and development division of Higgins Research Center to continue to research human DNA, and how we can better from the understanding of it for years to come.”

Dr. Higgins nods his heads and mouths the words, “Thank you, dear friend.”

Samantha’s face becomes even more taught. Her children, Brandon and Ashley, can see the frustration in their mother’s face but are not exactly sure what to do. Avery has been quiet and poised during the video so far and has shown no emotion other than smiling at both Bryan and Dr. Higgins when they received the news of her father’s donations.

“My beautiful daughter Avery. Funny how things work out right?”

Avery smirks.

“To you I leave 30% of my estate and the house in the Dominican Republic. I love you very much.”

Samantha whips her head around to look at Richard, but he is avoiding eye contact. He knows what is coming next.

“Ashley. You have always been ungrateful.”

This gets Ashley’s attention and she is now wondering what will follow after that comment.

“No matter how many times you would lie, deceive, or try to manipulate, your mother always gave you second, third and even fourth chances.  Quitting jobs we set up for you. College tuition paid just so you could party with your friends and drop out. To you I leave books.” James pauses.

Ashley has a confused look on her face as does her brother Brandon and her mother Samantha.

“Books of matches so that you can continue to burn bridges and relationships that will come your way in the future.”

Furious, Ashley tries to keep her emotions in check since there are strangers here. In her head she tells herself that her mom will make this right.

Dr. Higgins, Bryan and Rachel are trying not to laugh, knowing that the people across the table are reeling inside. A smile starts to form on Avery’s face.

“Brandon. I know you love the restaurant.”

Ashley turns and stares at Brandon as his face perks up.

“I am leaving you part of the restaurant.”

Ashley gasps, Samantha’s face loosens, and Brandon smiles.

“Your favorite part of the restaurant. The barstool at the very end of the bar. That’s it. Just the stool.”

Stunned faces again.

“That is where you love to spend your time and not be a productive person in society. You can have it, ‘to go.’ There is not a dine-in option available.”

As everyone feels the wheels coming off the next word grabs everyone’s attention.

“Samantha.”

Richard is unsure how this will go, but he knows that she should be ok with the final result.

“You will receive the remainder of my estate.”

Samantha smiles.

“But there is a condition.”

Samantha’s shoulders slump down.

“You have to work for it.”

Samantha looks around the room surprised.

“You never worked a day in your life. In order to receive payments from the estate you must provide a pay stub to show that you are working a minimum of 30 hours per week.”

Angered Samantha stares down Richard. Richard is looking back with a settling look and motioning with his hand to say “stay calm.”

James continues.

“Richard will be over-seeing your payments.”

A wave of relief comes over Samantha. She sits and smiles. Even Brandon and Ashley seem calmer than before.

“That is all I have to say. My attorney will take over from here.”

As Richard starts to stand up, Rachel also stands up and pulls a cell phone out of her purse. Shocked, Richard looks at her and doesn’t know what to say.

“I will take it from here.” Rachel informs the room.

You could hear a pin drop. The look of disbelief on the faces of Richard, Samantha, Brandon and Ashley are ones that Avery will never forget.

Rachel continues, “My name is Rachel Davis, and I am here to represent Mr. James Kelley.”

Richard stands up to stop her, “Hold on one second.”

Bryan reaches into his briefcase and pulls out paperwork that he hands to Rachel who, without looking, slides them in front of Richard.

“Please sit. There is another video.”

Rachel uses the phone she pulled out of her purse, it was James’, and connects it to the computer. It was easy because James had connected it earlier to upload pictures.

James is on the screen again with a huge smile.

“This is Rachel. My attorney. All of the paperwork is right there, Richard. It specifies that it supersedes everything we set up.”

Samantha and Richard stare at each other like they have seen a ghost.

“Before anyone overreacts or wants to do something stupid I have arranged for extra security to make sure nothing happens.”

As James finishes the sentence Bryan gets up and turns to open the double doors behind him, and two large security guards walk in the conference room.

Banging his fists on the table and rising up Richard demands, “What is going on here?”

One of the security guards places his hand on Richard’s shoulder and guides him back into his seat.

Rachel motions to Richard with her hands, palms down, “You are about to find out.”

James continues almost as if on cue. 

“Richard, I know that you are Samantha’s, or Sam as you like to call her, ex-husband and her kids’ father. I say ex but the relationship has continued. I had suspicions but DNA tests that Dr. Higgins performed for me confirmed it.”

Richard is shocked. Samantha stares at the floor. Avery is beaming.

“Everything that was left to Bryan and Brent stays the same.” James declares proudly. “Everything else goes to Avery! Rachel will handle everything else from here.” 

Avery, Brent, Bryan and Rachel are all standing now.

“One more thing, Richard and Sam. There will be a statue of me outside the new research center of Dr. Higgins.” Screen goes blank.

Rachel picks up the phone and heads out the door followed by the others with the security guards close behind.

Avery gets to her car and opens her cell phone.

In the Dominican Republic a phone rings. James answers. “How did I do?”

“Dad, you were perfect! See you in a few hours”