An Inheritance

Chapter 1

Lauren stayed silent.  She didn’t like the feeling of where this was all headed.

“Well, you know I can’t go anywhere, Kerry travels all of the time and Jack just started junior high school.  Remember all the trouble we had with him last year?  I really have to make sure he’s focused and doing his home work.”

A noncommittal “Hummm” escaped Lauren’s  lips.

“Anyway, Millicent’s eldest daughter is expecting her first child, so you know she’s not going anywhere.  And then Jayne …”

“Wait a minute.  You’re telling me you all got together and discussed this without even consulting with me?”

“Well, I am now, aren’t I?  Listen, you are the best one for the job.  You’ve told me yourself you were needing a bit of a break from the college.  You’ve taught all three semesters for the past five years, ever since you threw out that ass Randy …”

“Danielle”  Lauren dragged her sister’s name out, showing her frustration. “I wish you’d stop criticizing him, it just didn’t work out, that’s all.”

“Well, Lauren”  her sister said in an exaggerated imitation.  “The jerk was cheating on you, and if Jack wasn’t sitting here I’d really tell you what I think of him.”  then with the mouthpiece partially covered, “Jack, I don’t need you to add your two cents in and I won’t have you using those words in this house.  Although they really described Randy perfectly.”  The last comment she muttered to herself, but loud enough to let Lauren get the drift.

Actually, Lauren knew that his cheating was the most exciting thing to have happened in their marriage, the rest had been just, well, bland.  But in no way would she admit that to her big sister, it would only become extra ammo that she’d use in any later disagreement.  “Listen … forget about Randy right now … you know I never met our grandmother, but you did and so did Millicent and her sisters.  Why should it be up to me to go?”

“I met her when I was what?  two or three?  I don’t remember her at all.  And as far as our cousins go, they only met her a few times and they only recall her as being rather odd, not exactly the granny type of person.  Furthermore, when you divorced that … when you divorced, you didn’t keep his name or even your maiden name, but you decided to take Mom’s maiden name of Labeaux, hey, that’s got to mean something.”

Lauren was starting to feel numb.  Ever since they were kids, Danielle had almost always won their disagreements, if for no other reason than she would just keep talking until Lauren would give in.  And from the sound of it, she was just getting started.  

“All right … okay.  I’ll see what I can do.  Now providing I can get someone to take over my classes on such short notice, and if the college has no problems with …”

“Great.  I know your department head loves you, you’ve said that yourself many times.  So there should be no problems.  To give you all the freedom you may need in deciding what to do with any of the assets, we’re all going to sign over our shares of ownership to you.  That way you can take care of everything and keep or sell the property as you see fit; no need to even consult with us.

“Now, that  lawyer down in Slidell, Robert Kincaid, said he could get all of the paperwork done in no time at all, mostly through e-mail or over the phone.  You’ll get in touch with Gabrielle Doucet, the realtor that Millicent talked to …”

Lauren leaned her head on the couch-back and half listened to her sister.  Now realizing that everything down to the last detail had already been decided on, she was glad she hadn’t tried to protest any longer than she had, it would have been of no use.  Anyways, she reasoned, it probably wouldn’t take more than a couple of weeks to clear everything out, and taking a sabbatical from the fall semester would probably do her some good.

She tuned back in to listen to Danielle some more.  She rolled her eyes and shook her head, when would she ever stop being the little sister?

* * * * * * * *

Lauren had to admit, traveling at this time of the year was really quite beautiful, even though there wasn’t any time to really sightsee.  While many of the Mid-Atlantic states were already starting to show some early colorful foliage change, down here in the south, everything was still lush and green with vivid wildflowers aligning the highway.  Of course, with the change of scenery came a definite change in temperature.  In New Jersey, where they had started this trip, the mornings were crisp and cool; prompting the digging out of last year’s sweaters and light jackets.  But here, everyone was still wearing sleeveless tops and shorts.  

She stretched to try to ease the kink out of her neck which had begun to develop earlier that morning; she really wasn’t used to driving for such long periods of time.  Having passed Meridian, Mississippi a while back, she guessed that they’d be in Slidell in less than half an hour. 

“Well, we’re almost there, not too much longer to go.”  She looked over at her companion sitting in the front passenger seat.  Abigail slowly opened her eyes, gave Lauren a disinterested stare and closed them again. 

“Oh, come on.  This may be one of the longest drives we’ve taken, but think of it as an adventure.  Neither one of us has been to Louisiana and this was the perfect chance.  I could have gone without you but you’ve been my traveling buddy for the past two years, did you really want me to go by myself and leave you out of it?”

Abigail again opened her eyes and this time they were filled with disdain.  She wasn’t buying any of this; not at all.  She yawned, showing all of her sharp feline teeth, then stretched and turned around in her kitty chair trying to find a better spot to nap.  Abigail found one where the sun coming in through the side window just touched her beautiful black and white back.  She slowly blinked at Lauren, then turned her head to look out the window; the perfect snub.

Lauren smiled.  She knew Abigail was just bored with the ride.  Once they got settled, she would be in seventh heaven.  There was nothing she liked better than a change of scenery and a chance to explore.  The hotels they had stayed at hadn’t given her any challenge or excitement.

Once we get settled, Lauren mused.  Just a short month ago, traveling to Slidell, Louisiana hadn’t even been on the radar of things she had ever wanted to do.  And to be the one who would now go clean out her grandmother’s things, well, that had been the furthest thing from Lauren’s mind.  It’s funny how things can change so fast.

Lauren was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she almost missed the sign indicating Slidell was the next exit.  She slowed down and took the ramp, then headed in the direction of East Slidell.  The real estate office wasn’t hard to find and Lauren was able to parallel park right in front of its big picture window. 

“Well Abby, this is Slidell, let’s see what everyone got us into.”