The Lawyer

(Warning: Suicide, Substance abuse)

Ceci wouldn't say she likes funerals. She passes on her handkerchief to the lady sniffling beside her. Her eyes are not even wet. Misty? She would have avoided any emotional display on a regular day. But this funeral is special. And by that, it means, her biggest client. The air holds an after-rain mist that clings to her clothes. Almost 50 people bundled in black, gathered around the casket about to be buried. The Owner and Founder of G&G, the last remaining Duke Carlos Santiado. The aristocratic fellow who has no legitimate heirs.

Ceci takes in his children — Nina, Russell, and Park. Looking at them, one could tell there were no tears to be shed. It is indeed a surprise that they showed up for their old man. She has corresponded once every month, as instructed, for the past year to each of them. Neither a reply nor an acknowledgment was sent back. Nina dabs under her eyes as Russell, the eldest, gathers her in his arms. 

Park watches Russell slide his thumb over Nina’s bare shoulder. Pervert, he thinks. He has witnessed the deed himself. Russell and Nina. However, he also knows that this is an act. The ever-loving elder brother who cares about his sister. He grimaces, feeling disgusted. Park silently touches his jacket pocket. Feeling the fresh stock of pills he has just scored from Nina. His gaze slides onto his father’s puppet. Ms. Cecily, his lawyer. He wonders what would his father’s will ensue. He looks at Ceci’s slender but firm figure. Always put together. Pencil skirts and muted colours. Not a hair out of place. 

Ceci’s eyes collide with his hard ones. He watches her gulp and shuffle her feet. He has never heard her speak for more than a minute. Park wonders how the afternoon is going to be. He feels pity towards the 55-year-old lady. Always behind his father. Always ready to clean up the mess after his children.

After the funeral, Ceci walks back to her car. Her heels sink into the soft ground after the pouring rain in the early hours. She watches over her car roof in the direction of Santiado’s now, resting place. His three children are huddled together. In the thirty years of working for him, this is the only instance where she sees them getting along. 

Her teacup clinks sweetly to its counterpart. She breathes deeply and looks at the paperwork in front of her. The title, big and bold — The Will of Mr. Carlos Santiado, is at the top. She imagines his children worried as they wait in the library for their fate to be announced. She knows not to be emotionally invested as a lawyer. Neutral and Analytical at best, especially this one. She sips her tea and goes over the terms again. Bastard — that Santiado, she thinks. She is never the one to use such language. But her client has made things more difficult for her. She straightens her jacket and picks off imaginary lint from her skirt. Then grabs her folder and steps out of her office. 

Outside, three more people are waiting for her, one of them, Santiado’s butler.

She asks the butler. “Is there enough food and drinks served in the library?” He nods.

She and two others head towards the library. She instructs them to take a seat near the library door. There is a lounge for them to be comfortable. She looks in the glass reflection of the lounge windows and fixes a stray hair back in her bun.

The library screams aristocratic heritage. Park watches his brother stare hard at the door. The wrinkles around his eyes and graying hair remind him of his approaching 50s. His suit is pitch black, unlike his dark grey jacket. His gold Rolex glints in the skylight. His impatience - obvious on his face. He rolls a fat joint. Mostly a celebratory one. He seems confident that everything will pass onto him as he is the eldest.

Park fidgets and takes a deep breath. He wants his next fix. He already had missed his morning one due to the funeral. He fans his jacket feeling hot all of a sudden. He touches his jacket pocket again to feel the pills.

His sister, on the other hand, squirms, looking dame in her black silk dress shimmering in the light coming through the glass ceiling dome. Her face is botoxed to hide her forty decades on earth. Her hat is discarded on the table. She avoids any eye contact with either of us. Guilt, Park thinks. She too glances toward the door, wishing to get out of there as quickly as possible. 

The door creaks and steps in Ceci. She fixes her black-rimmed glasses over her nose. She slides her palm over her skirt. Park observes the tiny goosebumps that run through her body. She straightens her back and lifts her chin. Her heels thump on the carpeted wooden floor. Park watches her place the folder on the table and walk back towards the door. She takes a key, locks the door, and slides it out from under it.

Curiosity piques in Park. He leans forward and places his elbows on the table. What do you have planned Cecily? He thinks. He notices Nina’s shifty eyes. Her mind running at miles per hour. He could practically feel Russell’s temper burning hot. He doesn’t like to be told. Ceci turns to three questioning faces. She takes a seat. The sound of her folder opening zips through space. She clears her throat and begins. 

“Good Afternoon, we have gathered here to read the will of your father, Mr. Carlos Santiado. He was a great person and a considerate employer. He — ”

“Why did you lock the room?” Nina breaks into her speech. Ceci looks at a worried Nina.

“And slide the key out!” Russell remarks. Ceci sinks deep into the high-back armchair she is occupying. She sighs.

“I have been in your family for 30 years. I am not only a legal advisor but a public relations person too. It is my responsibility to make sure this family and G&G stay clean in the eyes of the public. The matters that are to be discussed need to stay in this room. And until they are resolved, no one is to step out of here.”

“Aren’t we reading our father’s will? We were not made aware of any more situations.” Russell says. 

“Your father’s will depends on the resolution of this situation. Without any further — ” Nina opens her mouth to speak as Ceci looks at her “ questions, I will be reading Mr. Santiado’s will and its terms.”

I, Carlos Santiado, being of sound mind, not acting under any duress or undue influence, and fully understanding the nature and extent of all the property, hereby publish and declare this document to be my Last Will and Testament and hereby revoke any other will and document made by me before.

I hereby authorize my Personal Representative, hereinafter appointed, to settle and discharge, in his or her absolute discretion, any claims made by the estate. I also hereby give the power of attorney to my Representative for the same.

I nominate and appoint my lawyer, Ms. Cecily S. as my Personal Representative of my estate.

I devise and bequeath my estate, funds, and property to those among my children who could answer the following question.

“Answer the question?” Russell says with furrowed brows. 

“What sort of game is that?” His temper slipping by the minute. Park notices Russell’s fists formed tightly under the table. 

“The one where he plays with our minds,” Nina says. Park notices the tremble in her voice. 

“May I reveal the question?” Ceci asks in a quiet voice.

“The question is: Who killed Mr. Carlos Santiado?” 

“Father died of natural causes. For fuck’s sake, he was 80! Why would he add something like this on his will?” Nina thinks out loud. She chews on her botoxed lips.

“I am the oldest! So I naturally deserve to get all the inheritance!” Russell rages, banging his fists on the table. Park watches the old lawyer and Nina jump at the violent act. He needs his fix to deal with drama. And stupidity.

“Is this a joke?” Park finally breaks his silence and looks between his siblings. How could they be so dumb and selfish? His fingers thrum on the arm of the chair. He caves in and pulls out his pills. His feet do the tapping dance as he crushes the pills. He wheezes and concentrates on his task. 

In the meantime, Nina fixes herself a drink at the small bar. Ceci had asked specifically for it to be well stocked. She is familiar with her client's children and their habits. Russell lights his joint shortly after the ice clinks in Nina’s glass. He sits back and takes a deep drag. 

Spirits, Smoke, and Drugs. Santiado was a control freak, she thinks. But he never cared what kept his children busy. He wanted heirs, not kids. Nina has a love for gambling, Russell salivates over profits and business, and Park is happy in his wonderland, ignorant. But there is one thing that none of his children account for — his cunningness. She wonders who has that. 

Ceci remembers that day 28 years ago when Santiado asked her to prepare adoption papers for a 2-year-old Korean boy and an 11-year-old African-American girl. She had been working for him for only a couple of years. Santiado had to secure his lineage. With his 20-something son struggling with anger management, he wanted options to pass on his title.

Park is ready to snort. He catches Nina staring at the powder in front of him. He subtly smirks at Nina and she looks away. Russell watches Park with a questioning gaze. What’s with him? Park thinks. Nina gulps a large sip of her whisky. Park knows something is up between his siblings more than what he knows. He snorts two lines down. 

“You guys are idiots,” Park says while sniffling and brushing his thumb on his nose. Nina and Russell look at him while he does two more lines. 

“She has the power of attorney over everything and you are worried about a question?” Park points towards Ceci. 

Ceci notices the intelligence in his eyes. Sadly, his snorts are going to dull its sharpness, she thinks. Ceci realises she has to establish authority and the fact that she cannot be browbeaten into any decisions. 

“As per my instructions, Park was supposed to be in rehab for the past year. However, here he is, with ample to snort. Now, who would be giving him drugs?” She looks at Nina and Russell with a stern look. Only Park notices her hand clench a little too tight over her folder. Ceci believes that she has pissed one off and set panic in the other. In conclusion, the point was made clear.

Ceci decides to walk around the room, letting them mull this over. As a legal aid, she does not want to push her newest clients. She glances along the book spines. Santiado had a pervasive collection about War. Drop a poisonous seed and let it ruin the forest. Slowly. Patience was his best quality.

At the table, the black silk shimmers as Nina crosses her legs over and over again. Ceci notices Nina’s panic spike and Russell’s sharp gaze on her. With years of experience as a lawyer, she knows how to get her clients to speak up. 

“I am your lawyer. Without information, I will not be able to pass on the inheritance to you all.” She locks eyes with Russell. She proceeds to cover Nina’s hand with hers. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

Ceci watches Nina crumble. Her chin wobbles. Her face streaking with tears and mascara, she says “I gave him drugs.” Ceci notices Park nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders. A cloud of arrogance and over-confidence over him. “Why do you care?” Park enquires and Russell agrees.

“Alright. Who has read the correspondence I sent every month for the past year?” Ceci enquires. Silence is met with Ceci’s disappointed sigh and she sits back down. “That correspondence was concerning your inheritance. Your father wanted to leave behind a clean title and not in namesake only. He wanted his heirs to be free of any drug usage or dealing. That is why, Park, you were put in rehab. However, since Park and Nina are involved in such business. I am obliged to exclude both of you from the inheritance.”

Russell’s eyebrows raise and a smile forms on his face. Park tenses and tries to think through his haze. There must be a solution. He hears Nina say, “I am not letting you take all of it. You promised 10% of your inheritance, remember! And he supplied me the drugs in the first place!”

“What? Hold on. Did he promise ten percent of his inheritance? ten-ten-ten percent?!? And the drugs are his? How?” Park stutters through. His drugs kicking in.

“She is lying! You lying bitch!” Russell yells. 

“I am not lying!!! We had a deal!” Nina screams.

Ceci hangs her mouth open upon seeing the hatred amongst them. She asks them to calm down. There is a knock on the door. 

“Ms. Cecily? Everything okay in there?” the butler asks. 

“Yes. Everything okay.” 

“What deal are you talking about?” Park asks Nina.

“Shut up! It is all because of you! You made me do it!” Nina points aggressively at Park. 

“What did he do? Nina, look at me. What did Park do?” Ceci watches Russell be sweet towards Nina. He gathers her in his arms and comforts her. Ceci is touched. 

“Get your hands off me you pervert! He knows!” Nina exclaims. Her face turned bright red. 

Russell stares down at Nina and then turns towards Ceci who is shocked. He walks to the bar and punches the glass shelf. His hand bleeds red.

Park sees Ceci fix her glasses with shaky hands. Nervous and tense, he thinks. Ceci clears her throat and says, “I am not aware of the situation that is being discussed now. However, as umm… Russell is also involved, I am at a discretion to end the title and forward the inheritance to charity.”

Park glances at Ceci closing the folder, her shoulder drooping and slowly exhaling. She gulps and says with sadness in her eyes, “I am sorry. My hands are tied.” 

“We’ll pay you. Name your price.” Russell says with controlled anger. 

“She won’t take it,” Park states with a lolling head. He watches Nina crying in her hands, slumped and embarrassed.

A year ago

“I want my title to be clean. Put Park in rehab. Tell him if he wants his inheritance, he will need to see through it.” Santiado says.

“Yes, Sir,” Ceci says.

“Did the doctor send any reports?” 

“He did. It is not a good news, Sir.”

“Hmm…If only those brats could get along. Ask them to stay clean. And I am appointing you as the power of attorney. My days are done.” Santiado orders. 

“Of course.” Ceci looks at Santiado who is deep in his thoughts. 

Glasses clink and conversation flows at the annual gala. Ceci watches Russell charm an heiress while his hands brush over a passing server's ass. Nina laughs and touches a young man's shoulders, a seductive promise in her eyes. Park lols his head to the side while lying spreadeagled on the sofa. 

Ceci’s fingers make a rhythm on her champagne flute. Her face holds a serene smile.

Ceci halts Nina outside the bathroom. 

“May I have a word?” Ceci asks. Ceci and Nina step out on the balcony.

“I am worried as your father gets old. He wishes for you to reconcile with your brothers.” Nina rolls her eyes and begins walking out. Ceci puts her hand on her arm.

“Consider this a professional advice. You know which brother would… benefit you and benefit from you.”

Later, a very high Russell goes upstairs to the private wing. Nina drowns herself in alcohol and follows him.

Park watches as Ceci approaches him. 

“I am not playing your games,” he says.

“No games. Your father is old now. You only have your siblings after him.” Ceci places a hand on his knee. Ceci leaves him to think. 

Park finds her and asks, “Have you seen Nina?” 

“I saw her and Russell heading upstairs.”

“No way.” Park hurries upstairs, stumbling in his drug-induced haze.

Present day

Ceci makes her way to the door and knocks three times. The door is opened and comes in a police officer and a doctor. 

“Your father knew things might get out of hand. Hence, he had ordered me to have an officer and a doctor during the Will announcement. The doctor will take care of your hand, Russell.”

“Wait. Who killed father?” Park asks slowly.

“Cancer,” Ceci says.

A week later, Ceci visits Santiado’s grave. She places the flowers on his tombstone. 

“Nina’s dead. Suicide. Maybe over guilt. For giving her brother drugs or sleeping with another. Park is struggling in government rehab. And Russell is behind bars for selling drugs. You tried so hard to ensure your lineage, your title. I wish you were alive today. You should have made the right choice when you had the chance. I hope you have gone to hell, Father. Goodbye.”

New York Times Front Page

Cecily Santiado liquidates G&G, goes to charity.