Customer Satisfaction [COMPLETE]

Epilogue

Five years later...

The old estate had once been a sprawling spectacle of age old vintage construction perfectly restored with modern elements. Now it lay crumbling, weed overgrowing the hedges and the old fountains cracked, several windows blown in during storms and giving it a haunted appearance. It was still a sight to behold.

Kate cautiously stepped through the gate, only taking a moment to stop and study her biological fathers name faded beside the gate, a name that would soon be replaced by Will's. The estate had been a neglected part of their inheritance that Will had recently taken charge off, buying off Kate's portion of the inheritance as well, and much to Kate's confusion, throwing himself into restoring it.

But then, she hardly had any memories of the place. If bringing their parent's house back to its original state was what gave him closure, she would support him. And she had to admit, it looked like a fine place already and the restorations had barely begun!

"Will?" she called, only just realizing that him asking her to meet at the old estate hadn't been specific enough. The place was too huge to search, and she was running out of time. She had a meeting with Luke planned in the evening.

She shot her watch an impatient look, and then hurried inside, "Wi-ill?" she called out in a sing song voice.

There was a muffled thud, and eyes widening, she ran around the back of the massive building, staring at a pair of sneakers sticking out of the mud. Will propped up, looking annoyed.

"What're you doing?" she gasped.

"Pipe's been making noise." he grunted, "Seems clogged."

"So you thought to fix it on your own?"

He placed a screwdriver between his teeth, starting to climb the ladder again while she watched, aghast, "Neighbor's been giving me crap about it." he said around the screwdriver, "Some lousy actor from next door."

"I'm sure you have several people employed for restoration that could take care of this." she reasoned. He grunted, continuing his hunt for the elusive obstruction. She sighed, watching him. She had learned to accept that sometimes her brother just got in one of his moods. The idea of him living alone in a gigantic mansion with no one to keep an eye on him, though...Yea, that was scary.

"I don't have much time." she said impatiently. Not to mention now was probably not the time to give Will any sisterly advice about getting a dog...or a girlfriend. She had learned from experience that he did not appreciate that.

He spent a few more minutes doing God knew what to the pipe, and then jumped down, looking ruffled and muddy and so adorable she wanted to pinch his cheeks, but she restrained herself. She had gotten all dressed up for Luke, after all, and couldn't risk smudges.

She held up an envelope, "You promised you would help me out." she reminded.

"Right." Ignoring her squeal, he grabbed the pristine envelope with his muddy hands, smearing dirt. She threw up her hands in exasperation and watched him take out the checks and study them with his brilliant blue eyes. His brows shot up.

"Are you sure?" he looked at her.

She squared her shoulders, "We discussed his."

He looked down, mouthing in disbelief. Then he took a deep breath, "Kate, this is all the inheritance our parents left you. All of it."

"Which is going to a good cause. Several of them. Now promise me--" she gestured to the check at the top, addressed to the Foster Home, "you'd get this one to the Home as quick as possible. I already spoke to the Headmistress there, and she'll be waiting."