Switch-Up

Chapter 45- Blindsided by a Blessing

Jennifer's POV

Yeah... I'm sick. I got up this morning after Leah gave me my coffee and stuff and took a shower- hoping I would feel better but it did nothing. I have a slight fever, I can't stop coughing, I sound like a man, and all I want to do is just sleep. I tried to tell Leah that she didn't have to stay home with me but she doesn't listen.

I walk downstairs and sit on the couch and text Rodrigo. Leah's in the office/library doing some work stuff on the computer. "Babe." I say, my voice cracking. "Yeah?" She calls back. "I'm gonna go meet with Rodrigo and an attorney." I say and stand up. "You sure? You're sick baby..." She appears around the corner and walks over to me, feeling my face to see if I have a fever still. "I'm okay." I say and nod. "Okay..." She sighs. I go upstairs and change into jeans and a solid black top and put my hair up in a tight-knot bun on my head. I half-ass do my make-up and out on my black Loubutin booties.

I go back down the stairs, looking much better than I really feel. I go into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water and just as I close the fridge and turn around, I feel a hand on my ass. "Your ass looks really fxcking good in those jeans." Leah says. "My ass always looks good." I wink at her, joking. "You're not wrong on that one." She grins and leans in and smells me. "And you smell really really good." She says to me. "It's all a cover up because I actually feel like shit." I complain and roll my eyes.

She shakes her head and smiles. "I'll be back in like an hour." I say and grab my purse. "Okay. Be careful." She says as I walk out the door.

-

After a 20 minute drive to some random ass restaurant I've never even heard of... I pull into a parking space beside Rodrigo's car. I get out and walk towards the door, I'm a few minutes late but that's the usual for me honestly. I glance around and see my brother and a man dressed in a suit sitting at a table. I smile and walk over and sit beside Rodrigo. He hugs me and kisses my cheek. "Hi." I say to him. I extend my arm across the table and shake the mans hand. "Hi, I'm Jennifer." I say with a fake smile. "Nice to finally meet you, my name is Michael Ross... I was your fathers attorney." He says.

I nod and try my to let my mind focus too much on his choice of words. "Well, now that the introductions have been made and i have the both of you here... I think we should get down to business." He says and pops open a brief case. He pulls out a folder and thumbs through it before handing it to me. I take it and listen to him talk. "This... Is a list of the things included with your fathers property and finances. He- thankfully- had no debt and set aside money for his own funeral and whatnot before he passed... So if you would like to take a look at everything that's included and then sign at the bottom... Jennifer- you'll be done for the most part." The man says.

I'm blindsided by this. "What?" "This is what you're left with..." He says again. "Wait- he left me with his money and his property?" I ask, truly amazed and shocked. "I thought you were aware... I apologize. But yes, he left you with all of his property here in New York and all of the money left in his bank account here." He says. I look at Rodrigo and we are both in total and complete shock. This is not at all what I expected to have left... It's nice- but it's insane.

I don't even know what to say, it's really bittersweet. "And for Rodrigo?" I ask. "Rodrigo, you've been left with his home in Malibu, California along with the vehicles he has there and the money in his account there." He says to my brother. Rodrigo don't say much. "And- I was friends with your father outside of this... Outside of these business matters and he was a good man. He cared for both of you... He truly did. He asked me to tell you that he hopes you both enjoy what he's given you and that you use it wisely." He says and closes his briefcase back after putting the signed papers back. I nod slowly and Rodrigo puts his arm around the back of my chair.

"He has a vacation home in Greece... Hasn't been used in a year or two but it's a beautiful place. He left that for the both of you to use as you please." He says. All I can do is nod. It doesn't feel real or even right for me- and my brother- to be receiving all of this stuff.

"Just so I'm understanding this- all of the things that have been left with us... We can do whatever we want to with them?" I ask and raise my eyebrows. "You can sell them, keep them... Whatever you wanna do. It's up to you." He says. I nod and force a smile as the man stands up and buttons his suit jacket back.

"It was nice to finally meet the two of you, these circumstances could have been better but..." He pauses and extends his hand to me. I shake his hand and then Rodrigo. "Thank you sir." My brother says and stands. The attorney leaves and my brother and I do too. We walk out to the car and he is quiet. "That's really... Something." He mutters and pushes his hand through his hair. "It's unbelievable." I mutter back to him. "You doing okay?" He asks and hugs me. "I'm good... I have leah helping me through it." I smile, a genuine smile when I think of her.

"Alright, call me if you need me. I'm gonna get home..." He says. I wave goodbye and he walks off as I get into my car. I put the keys to my father's house that I've just been given in the center console and shake my head. "What the fxck?" I mutter and start the car. I drive home, my mind still trying to grasp everything that just happened. I pull into my reserved parking spot in the parking garage and get my things and go upstairs. I enter the condo and find Leah on the couch watching tv. "Hi baby." She smiles at me. "Hey." I say back, dryly. "How was it?" She questions. "Fine." I say back. She gives me a look at stands up.

"What's up with these one-word answers?" She asks and walks over to me,stopping in front of me. "Just trying to comprehend all of this." I tell her. "As in...?" "Leah, he left me with everything. I have his house, his money.... All of it." I say and look at her. Her eyes get big and she just stares at me. "Are you serious?" "Yeah... He left Rodrigo his house in Malibu and we're sharing a vacation home that he has in Greece." I tell her.

"That's... That's a lot. It's nice but it's- unexpected." She says and shrugs. "I'd say. I'm happy about it... Yes. Knowing that I could never work another day in my life and be totally okay is a great feeling... It's a heavy feeling too though. Because of the reason I have the money." I say and walk on in the other direction, staring to pace. "Listen, I know it's difficult to accept this and be totally okay with it but Jennifer... This is a blessing. This is huge for you... Don't try and talk yourself out of this. Your father left this to you for a reason.... Take it." She says and comes behind me and wraps her arms around me. I nod slowly and pull her around so that she's in front of me.

I place my hands on either side of her face and kiss her very softly, not even thinking about the fact that I could possibly get her sick. She smiles at me and kisses me again. "Your lips taste like cough drops." She giggles at me. "Well... I lived off of them all night and so far today as well." I tell her and laugh a little . "Mmhm, i don't even care. Just kiss me again.." She says and looks at my lips and then at my eyes.

"You know what sounds good right now?" She whispers. "What?" "Yo-" she gets cut off by a phone ringing. I roll my eyes and answer it. It's my mom.

"Jen... I was calling to invite you out to dinner tonight- your sister flew in." She says. The only reason my interest is grabbed by this is because my sister... Well my half-sister is going and I haven't seen her in months. This is the model... She's younger than me and we aren't nearly as close as Rodrigo and I are. She has a different father than us... That's why we never see her. She's lived in Brazil with her father and her step-mother for the past 4/5 years. Her name is Gabriella Lenzi, she's only 21... But she's a beautiful girl. Like I said, I've never been really close with her. But we aren't total strangers. I'll speak to her about once a month if I'm lucky, but my mom talks to her pretty frequently.

"Gabriella is here?" I ask my mom. "Yes, she's here for a shirt amount of time and wants to see you. So why don't you come over tomorrow night and we can have dinner? I'll cook." She says to me hopefully. "Okay... I'll see you tomorrow." I respond.

I'm a little anxious to see her again... But excited. She only comes here maybe 2 or 3 times a year so I try and make the best of it when she's here.