Watching a Glass Shatter

Chapter 2

Ira would normally hold a client's will reading in his own office, but given this was for Ben, and he knew it had the potential to wreak havoc, Ira chose what he thought best for Olivia. He'd only met her once when Ben included her in their family's estate planning decisions. Ben's personal study reminded Ira of his client, given it held an air of old English charm, full of historic beauty and cozy memories. To the left, an expansive seating area circled around a beautiful stone fire place under twelve-foot cathedral domed ceilings. And to the right sat a large traditional oak desk near the over-sized bay windows and an original Tiffany lamp in its corner. Ira sensed Ben's presence in the room, imagining him seated behind the desk with an after-dinner cordial in one hand, a cigar in the other and a symphony recording playing in the background.

Olivia held a striking and beautiful pose, as she sat upright with her legs angled towards the fire place, posture clean and crisp with an arch matching the back of her tall, wing-backed leather chair. She held a cup of tea in her hands, atop a fine silver-rimmed china saucer, and looked calmly at him. He assumed she'd been crying recently as her swollen eyes refused to hide behind whatever makeup she'd applied as a wishful cover.

"Mr. Rattenbury, meet my sister Diane," she said, while pointing to her left and placing the cup on the table. "It's also 11:30, let's start."

Diane poured chamomile and raised the porcelain teapot towards him.

"A cup of tea, Mr. Rattenbury?"

"Yes, kind of you," he said, watching the other members of the family take their seats. "I'm pleased you could attend today. Ben included you in his estate, and he often spoke fondly of you when he'd come visit me."

Diane blushed and handed him the tea. "I'll miss him more than I know how to say. He was a brother to me all these years."

Teddy and his wife Sarah sat on the couch across from the oak desk. Teddy, six feet tall, boasted short salt and pepper hair, even though he'd barely entered his early thirties. His wide-set green eyes sparkled when the sunlight coming through the front window hit them. Teddy fussed with his collar as he sat, settling on leaving the top button open, and his awkward face scowled.

Sarah, thin as a rail, displayed a bird-like appearance. She had ash blond hair closely cropped to the sides of her face, a charming southern accent and almond-shaped green eyes she hid behind. Ira placed her at forty, at least a decade older than her husband, and while some might consider her pretty, she also appeared worn, tired and faint.

Ira nodded and shook their hands. "Nice to meet you both. You have my condolences."

Sarah's neck craned forward as she nodded. "Much obliged."

Teddy did not respond. A frown still occupied the better half of his face.

Next to Teddy sat Caleb, with wavy dark hair and olive skin, different from his parents. Perhaps reminiscent of the relatives Ira saw in the various family pictures scattered around the room. His eyes appeared heavy and distant, as though he wished he were anywhere but in that room at that moment. Ira reached a hand towards him. "It's good to meet you, Caleb. Your father spoke highly of you. I'm sorry we haven't gotten to meet before this weekend."

Caleb shook his hand with a firm grip, his eyes looking past Ira towards the window. "I appreciate it, Mr. Rattenbury. I'm not home often, but my father mentioned you on our calls."

Olivia said, "Caleb designed this room for his father many years ago. Ben proposed his study evoke a mid-century modern motif. I never saw the room until Caleb finished, but Caleb has always had good judgment. And he loved and respected his father."

"Impressive. You're an architect?" Ira said.

Matt interjected before Caleb had a chance to respond, walking towards Ira. "Yes, my younger brother plays with his little drawings all day long. And by younger, I barely mean so –only eleven months, but he never could keep up with me, right Cabbie..."