Smiling all the way Home

Smiling all the way Home

“Excuse me? Mrs. Brown? Emily Brown?”

She sat straighter on the bench. He was nice looking, older. Although she’d realized recently calling someone older was rude, he was likely younger than she was. She didn’t know him, but she was feeling feisty...

“Yes,” she answered, “Do I know you?”

“We’ve never met. I’m Gerald Jenkins. I’m handling the Roverton Estate. I’ve been looking for you for a while. One of your friends told me you came here often.”

“My friend?” she asked with enough alarm to make him uncomfortable.

“Judith! Judith Trench told me! She said she hadn’t seen you in a while, but you always spent time at this park... with your dog, Patty,” suddenly he looked around for a dog.

“Patty passed on” she said, “recently...”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Why is it you were looking for me,” she said, quickly switching the conversation back before he started asking about Patty.

“You were mentioned in Arnold Roverton’s will.”

“You’re trying to trick me. Arnold isn’t dead.”

“I’m sorry,” he said solemnly, “He passed away three weeks ago.”

“Oh! Poor Arnold...” she said, verging on tears, “and... I was mentioned... in his will?”

“Yes, he left you this envelope,” he held out a fat, sealed manila envelope with ‘Mrs. Emily Brown’ written on the front. “If you sign for it, I will be finished. You were the last beneficiary I had to find.” He held out a paper.

She signed it, handing it back, teary eyed.

“I’m sorry for your loss” he said, while actually thinking, ‘I can be home by dinner!’ He hurried off.

The envelope contained an obscene amount of money, and in cash! She quickly closed it, and hurried off herself.

‘This is definitely my best day ever!’ thought Angelina, smiling all the way home.