the hurt. "I've
got to go back inside," I said finally.
He sighed
and nodded. "Can I see you tomorrow?"
I thought
about it, and returned the nod. Better to get these "dates" over with
as quickly as possible and then he would leave. I started to head back into the
bar and grill, and then paused to look over my shoulder. "Call me in the
morning. My number’s the same."
Chapter 7
Donovan
I walked
into the attorney’s office behind my mother, with Julie and Shane close behind.
Cameron and Tammy were to meet us here, but Shane, Julie, my mother and I had
come together in Mom’s car. Damien had gone to his hotel room in town where he
was going to stay for a few hours, making phone calls and using their business
center to take care of some business.
The
secretary nodded and smiled as we entered.
"You’re
the Sandersons ?"
"Yes,"
my mom told her. "We're still waiting for two others."
The four
of us situated ourselves in the comfortably furnished waiting area but no one
spoke. Several minutes later the door opened and Cameron stepped in, standing
back to allow Tammy to enter, and then he closed the door softly behind him.
While Tammy stepped toward the settee where Mom and Julie sat, Cameron remained
standing by the door. I sat in a chair by myself.
"I'll
let Mister Bowman know that you're all here," the secretary said. She
stood, knocked once on the door, and then entered the attorney’s office,
closing the door softly behind her.
Several
moments later she emerged. "Give him one more minute," she said.
"He's finishing up with a phone call."
We all
waited without much conversation. My mom and the girls murmured softly among
themselves. It wasn't as if my mom didn't have a copy of Dad’s will, but
apparently there were some other items that the attorney had wanted to discuss
with her, as well as the family. Even though I was a latecomer to the entire
situation regarding the ranch, I was interested in knowing how the ranch was
doing, and if Mom would be okay financially, depending on Dad's life insurance
policy coupled with the income the ranch would bring in.
Several
moments later, the door to the attorney’s office opened and a portly,
middle-aged, and balding man appeared. "Lisa Sanderson and family?"
he said, eyebrows lifted. He nodded without waiting for an answer and
introduced himself. "I'm Steven Bowman . Please, come into my office."
As a group
we stood. My mom entered the office first, followed by the girls, Shane,
myself, and then Cameron. There weren't enough chairs in the room to
accommodate us all, so my brothers and I remained standing while my mom and my
sisters each took their seats in front of the attorney’s desk. I glanced around
the well-appointed office. A number of file cabinets were stacked one on top of
the other in one corner, while three or four bookcases filled with law
journals, textbooks, and who knew what else took up most of the other wall.
Behind the attorney’s desk was a window that overlooked Main Street, still
relatively quiet and calm at nine o'clock on a Monday morning. The attorney
cleared his throat and looked at all of us in turn, and then at my mother.
“First, I
want to express my condolences regarding Frank's death," Mr. Bowman began.
"He was a good man."
"We
hadn't realized that Dad had procured the services of an attorney,"
Cameron stated . "How
long have you been working with him?"
Mr. Bowman
looked at Cameron. "Frank contacted me about three years ago," he
explained. "He wanted to have his affairs in order, especially in regard
to the ranch. Now we need to go over all that with you, Missus Sanderson."
I glanced
at my mom, who watched the attorney with a wide-eyed and somewhat surprised
expression. I knew that she had been unaware of my dad’s seeing an attorney,
and I could imagine that she was wondering why he wouldn't have discussed it
with her.
"Well,
let's get started," Mr. Bowman remarked, again clearing his throat.
He opened
the file
got to go back inside," I said finally.
He sighed
and nodded. "Can I see you tomorrow?"
I thought
about it, and returned the nod. Better to get these "dates" over with
as quickly as possible and then he would leave. I started to head back into the
bar and grill, and then paused to look over my shoulder. "Call me in the
morning. My number’s the same."
Chapter 7
Donovan
I walked
into the attorney’s office behind my mother, with Julie and Shane close behind.
Cameron and Tammy were to meet us here, but Shane, Julie, my mother and I had
come together in Mom’s car. Damien had gone to his hotel room in town where he
was going to stay for a few hours, making phone calls and using their business
center to take care of some business.
The
secretary nodded and smiled as we entered.
"You’re
the Sandersons ?"
"Yes,"
my mom told her. "We're still waiting for two others."
The four
of us situated ourselves in the comfortably furnished waiting area but no one
spoke. Several minutes later the door opened and Cameron stepped in, standing
back to allow Tammy to enter, and then he closed the door softly behind him.
While Tammy stepped toward the settee where Mom and Julie sat, Cameron remained
standing by the door. I sat in a chair by myself.
"I'll
let Mister Bowman know that you're all here," the secretary said. She
stood, knocked once on the door, and then entered the attorney’s office,
closing the door softly behind her.
Several
moments later she emerged. "Give him one more minute," she said.
"He's finishing up with a phone call."
We all
waited without much conversation. My mom and the girls murmured softly among
themselves. It wasn't as if my mom didn't have a copy of Dad’s will, but
apparently there were some other items that the attorney had wanted to discuss
with her, as well as the family. Even though I was a latecomer to the entire
situation regarding the ranch, I was interested in knowing how the ranch was
doing, and if Mom would be okay financially, depending on Dad's life insurance
policy coupled with the income the ranch would bring in.
Several
moments later, the door to the attorney’s office opened and a portly,
middle-aged, and balding man appeared. "Lisa Sanderson and family?"
he said, eyebrows lifted. He nodded without waiting for an answer and
introduced himself. "I'm Steven Bowman . Please, come into my office."
As a group
we stood. My mom entered the office first, followed by the girls, Shane,
myself, and then Cameron. There weren't enough chairs in the room to
accommodate us all, so my brothers and I remained standing while my mom and my
sisters each took their seats in front of the attorney’s desk. I glanced around
the well-appointed office. A number of file cabinets were stacked one on top of
the other in one corner, while three or four bookcases filled with law
journals, textbooks, and who knew what else took up most of the other wall.
Behind the attorney’s desk was a window that overlooked Main Street, still
relatively quiet and calm at nine o'clock on a Monday morning. The attorney
cleared his throat and looked at all of us in turn, and then at my mother.
“First, I
want to express my condolences regarding Frank's death," Mr. Bowman began.
"He was a good man."
"We
hadn't realized that Dad had procured the services of an attorney,"
Cameron stated . "How
long have you been working with him?"
Mr. Bowman
looked at Cameron. "Frank contacted me about three years ago," he
explained. "He wanted to have his affairs in order, especially in regard
to the ranch. Now we need to go over all that with you, Missus Sanderson."
I glanced
at my mom, who watched the attorney with a wide-eyed and somewhat surprised
expression. I knew that she had been unaware of my dad’s seeing an attorney,
and I could imagine that she was wondering why he wouldn't have discussed it
with her.
"Well,
let's get started," Mr. Bowman remarked, again clearing his throat.
He opened
the file
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