Will for All

Under the dim lamp light, long, thin fingers were holding an expensive-looking pen. The fingers hesitated for awhile, then they scribbled their owner’s last will on the white paper. “I hope they can understand at the very end,” mumbled the husky voice of the man who finished signing his name on the paper.

  “Mr. Atwell passed away this morning. All of his lineal family members gather at the Atwell Manor. “

Receiving the message of their father’s death, son and daughters of Atwell alarmingly set off to the Atwell Manor. First to arrive was his oldest son, Patrick Atwell. Before his tears dry, he asked his father’s lawyer about the will. “He left something to me, didn't he? I’m the only heir who is fit to get his business!” 

Next was Belinda Atwell, the oldest daughter, and also the oldest sibling. She wiped off her small drops of tears with her fancy, black handkerchief. “I was father's most beloved child. Oh, I know he left this gorgeous manor to me.”

The last to arrive was Diana Atwell, the youngest among the siblings. Her eyes and nose were reddened from crying so hard. The servants helped her come down from the carriage, because she used up all her strength in mourning. “Father….. will be happy in Heaven. He was such a good father to us.” She couldn’t continue her speech because of another round of tears. She didn’t ask about the will.

When the three Atwells arrived at the living room of the mansion, the lawyer read out the will, “This is the last will of Howell Berry Atwell. To my youngest daughter, Diana Atwell, I give my diamond mine in India.”

Patrick shouted, “How can he give the mine to Diana instead of giving it to me!”

Soon, the living room was filled with arguments from older siblings and the persuasions of the lawyer. Only Diana was keeping the quietness. She was praying to relax her surprised heart. Even in her wildest dreams, she never thought she will inherit the diamond mine. When the lawyer finally calmed down Patrick, he continued.

“To my son, Patrick Atwell, I give my textile factory, if he looks up at the sky every day.”

Patrick’s face was lightened when he heard the word “factory”, but it became a frown as soon as he heard the queer requirement. “Look up the sky? Is that really what father wrote?"

 The lawyer opened his mouth for explanation, but Patrick waved his hand to stop him. “I say, Father lost his mind near death. Many old people do. That’s why he gave the diamond mine to Diana. That’s why he wrote some....hmm...odd requirements.”

“No, he didn’t, Mr. Atwell. He wrote acceptable reasons for these requirements,” said the lawyer. The lawyer flipped to another page to read the reasons, but Patrick’s stubborn hands stopped him again. The lawyer quietly sighed, and moved onto the next will.

“To my oldest daughter, Belinda Atwell, I give her this manor,” the lawyer saw Belinda smiling pleasantly, “If, she looks out the windows to watch her neighbors once a day.”

Belinda raised her eyebrows as high as Mount Everest. "What a queer requirement! Look over the windows of neighbors! This may prove your words true, Patrick, I suppose. Our father lost his senses because of long illness.” Belinda fanned her red cheeks with her silk black fan. Her eyes with heavy eyelids were almost popped out. The lawyer wanted to block his nose because of the disgusting odor of Belinda’s perfume. The lawyer ignored Belinda’s grunting and finished Mr. Atwell’s will.

“This is my last will to my son and daughters. I hope they will understand my wills, and carry out them with joy and gladness. And there is Mr. Atwell's signature.” The lawyer handed the will to three shocked Atwells. Patrick was the first to snatch the will from the lawyer’s hand. Patrick shook his head.

 “Good Lord in heaven! It IS Father’s signature. Oh, my days! Look up the sky every day!” He handed, almost threw, the paper to his older sister. Belinda grabbed the paper and tried to find some great mistakes that won’t give the will any legal force. However, she gave up and collapsed in the armchair. Diana swiftly approached her sister to comfort her, but Belinda shook away her comforting hands. Feelings of anger and jealousy boiled inside Belinda. She became outrageous and shook Diana madly.

“You knew you did something! Tell me the truth, Diana. You forced poor Father to give you the diamond mine!” The poor lawyer tried to save Diana from her mad sister, but Belinda was strongly clutching Diana's arm with her raging hands. When Diana finally got rid of Belinda, she exclaimed,

“I didn’t! I don’t even want that mine! Heaven forfend. I have no desire whatsoever for diamonds !” Diana's well-brushed blonde hair was all messed up, and her guiltless eyes turned red. Her chest ballooned of harsh breathing.

Belinda did not trust Diana. In her deepest thoughts, she knew Diana would never force Father to give the mine to her, but Belinda never wanted to accept Father’s last will. Patrick also knew it wasn’t Diana’s fault, but he needed somebody to find faults, so Patrick agreed with his sister’s argument. Both Belinda and Patrick glared at Diana with the mixture of anger and jealousy, and stormed out of the manor with all those grunting and shaking of their heads. Diana was deserted in the living room. She collapsed on to the floor. Tears of deep sorrow wetted the wooden floor. The lawyer cautiously approached Diana. He silently watched her mourning, then, asked a question.

“Ms. Atwell, may I ask what would you do with your inheritance?”

“Oh, I will distribute the profit to the orphans and widows. In the Bible, it says we have to take care of them,” answered Diana with trembling, but firm voice.

“I think I can show this to you,” the lawyer handed another paper to Diana. Diana received the words from Father. As she read, the warmth and love flowed out from each letter and comforted her bitter heart.

In the paper, it was written:

“This is the explanation of my requests to Belinda and Patrick, for I assume they will hardly understand my words. The reason why I ask Patrick to look up the sky everyday was to let him realize how men’s selfishness tortures nature cruelly. I hope Patrick can love and take care of the place where humankind lives. For Belinda, I wish her to take care of the needy neighbors. I wish her to stretch out her helping hands to the starved, trembling, and forgotten people. For my dear Diana, I leave no requirement, for I knew she will use the mine for everyone’s sake.”

Tears ran down Diana’s pale cheeks, but her lips were smiling. She understood her father’s last will, and was willing to follow it. Diana wiped off her tears and hopped into the carriage to go to accomplish Father’s will.