The One Year Agreement

Jacob's Will

The lawyers walked in with sad looks as they glanced at the young widow. No one liked having to read someone's last will and testament.

"Miss before we get started, we would like to tell you how very sorry we are for your loss." Said Mr. Mouches.

In through the door strode a dusty figure patting out her hat against her thy as she stumbled into the room. "Sorry for being late Mr. Mouches. It was a crap morning without Jake's help." She said still not used to doing the workload of two people.

Everyone gave the young woman a slight glare for being late and arriving in such a way but no one said anything about it. "It's fine Miss Srought please sit down so we may proceed."

When everyone was seated and ready Mr. Mouches read the will. "The only two people, I will ever leave anything to my love and my best friend. I make this knowing you are two very different people and with the hope, both of you never need to hear this.

Marilyn my sweetheart I hope you will take this with the all grace I know you have.

Emily, I hope you are holding things together as best you can.

Now down to the grit of these dumb things. It is my last wish is that the two of you will share our land and live together. I know this must sound bad to both of you but I also know I have made some enemies as Sheriff in this town. I am making it the last thing I do that if I die you two will have to live together for a year for you Marilyn to keep our land and you Emily to keep my job. I do not do this out of spite only because I know the two of you would protest any other way. The rest of what I have to say to the both of you has been put into envelopes and you may read in privet or together that's up to you.

Jacob J Mallory. "

As Mr. Mouches looked up from reading he saw both women with astonished looks on their faces. "What?" Marilyn gasped barely above a whisper. "No." She said in the same tone getting up to go. Emily shot up and grabbed Marilyn's arm.

"Did you not hear what he just read if you don't you lose your house? Jake's land all he has worked to give you!" Emily shouted at the woman no one in town had dared to raise their voice in the last few days. "You and your boy out with nowhere to go. Is that what you want?" Emily asked in what most of the town would call her work voice seeing how she was never used it outside of her job.

"I will not lose anything Jake would never do that. Make me live with you. His other woman." Marilyn said. Emily hated that title. She and Jake had never slept together not that Marilyn believed that. Women in town started calling her the other women in context with Jake whenever they gossipped.

"Actually ma'am it is part of the agreement for you to keep your property." One of the other lawyers spoke out.

"No no it is not I will not live with the floozy my husband kept on the side." Marilyn protested.

"I never slept with Jake in any way," Emily stated calmly cracking under the woman's harsh words. "I know you would like to keep your home and me my job so we live on the same piece of land. We won't have to see each other any more than we do. You take the house and I will take the barn loft and we don't have to clash." Emily said.

"Fine," Marilyn stated as she left.

One of the other lawyers stood to the side of the door with two envelopes in his hand giving the corresponding letter to each woman.