“I can pull certified bank statements going back 15 years. Have them ready by the end of the week.”
“I need them before New Year’s.”
“That’s—”
She stopped herself.
“Okay. I’ll make it work. You want everything notarized?”
“Everything. I want it so official that no one can question it.”
“Serena.”
Her voice softened.
“That’s a significant amount of money. Do you realize? $360,000?”
I cut her off.
“I know exactly what it is. And soon everyone else will, too.”
We hung up. I stood there a moment longer, watching my breath disappear into the darkness.
The door opened behind me.
“Serena.”
Mom’s voice, sweet as sugar.
“What are you doing out here? Come inside. It’s freezing.”
I turned to face her, the woman who had just called me selfish to my aunt.
“Just a work call, Mom.”
She shook her head.
“Always working. That’s your problem.”
I smiled and followed her inside.
Not for long.
December 26, the day after Christmas. Daniel had gone back to work. I sat alone in our apartment staring at my phone.
One call down. One more to make.
I found Thomas Reed’s number, my estate lawyer. We’d met two years ago when Daniel and I finally got around to making wills. Back then, I’d listed my parents as secondary beneficiaries, just in case.
“Reed Law Office. How can I help you?”
“Thomas, it’s Serena Everett.”
“Serena, happy holidays. What can I do for you?”
I didn’t waste time on pleasantries.
“I need to make changes to my estate documents, my will, and my life insurance beneficiaries.”
A brief pause.
“What kind of changes?”
“I want to remove my parents from everything.”
Paper shuffled on his end. I pictured him pulling up my file.
“Currently, your husband Daniel is primary beneficiary. Your parents, Harold and Diane Moreno, are secondary. You want to remove them entirely?”
“Yes. Replace them with…”
I thought for a moment.
“A children’s education charity for kids from low-income families.”
The irony wasn’t lost on me. Money that could have gone to parents who denied me an education, now going to help kids like I once was.
“That’s a significant change, Serena. Are you sure?”
