Blended Family

Pippa

I sat on my couch, frozen in confusion, when I heard teenage footsteps stomping in the hallway.

"Mom!" Elliott's voice was just hitting puberty, so his voice squeaked.  "Joey Miranda is such a bitch.  I mean, witch.  Do you know what she just told me?"

"Not now, Elliott," I told my son, still reeling.

"But, Mom!" he protested.

"Elliott!" I raised my voice, my fingers hovering delicately over my temple.  "I just got a very upsetting phone call.  I can't talk to you about that right now."

I heard his footsteps lighten and he walked over to sit next to me.  "What happened?"

I sighed, tears pooling in my eyes.  "Frank and Anna," I told them.  "They were in a serious car accident.  They...they died."

"What?!" he said, shocked.  "They're dead?"

"Yes," I whispered, my eyes staring at nothing.

He sighed out and shook his head.  I took his hand and squeezed it.  He'd known them all his life.  Babysat their kids.  "That's terrible."

"It is," I agreed.  "That was social services.  The kids are in foster care right now, but I'm supposed to go down to the court house tomorrow because I'm one of the executors of their will."

"You are?" he asked.

I nodded.  "They both had tough relationships with their families," I told him.  "Lin and I are co-executors of their will."

We both sat in silence for a couple minutes.

"Wh-what's gonna happen to Jack and Alex?" he asked hesitantly.

"I don't know," I told him honestly.  "I imagine that's in the will."

He nodded and we sat silently again.  He didn't know what to say and neither did I.

"Well, I should finish my homework," he eased himself up.

I didn't say anything as he walked back to his room and shut the door quietly.  He must have known I wasn't in the mood to hear his music blasting because he did his homework in silence.

____

The next day, I dressed professionally, and in black for mourning.  I made my way to the courthouse around 10:00, when our appointment to meet with the lawyer was scheduled.  My main focus was on their two kids, Jack, who was just six months old, and Alexandra, who was three.  They must be so confused right now.  I needed to see them.

When I walked in, Lin was already sitting in the waiting room, dressed in a rare suit.  He gave me a polite nod and turned his attention back to his phone.  I sat on the other side of the room as we waited to be called.

Soon, the lawyer had called us both back and we sat in front of his desk.

"Sorry to meet you on such a solemn occasion," he told us and we nodded politely.  "You are both listed as co-executors of Frank and Anna Richards' estate.  The first thing I want to get to is the matter of their two minor children, Jack and Alexandra."

I shifted in my seat, anxious to hear what the will said.  Since I was a mother, I imagined they would give both kids to me.  I was ready to take on the task.

"You are both listed as co-parents," he informed us.  We looked at each other.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"The wishes of Mr. and Mrs. Richards are that the two of you will both raise their children," he went on, turning the document towards us so we could look.