A Call From the Lawyer

Terran

It was the typical Monday morning with my secretary going over my calendar for the week. As usual, it was packed full of meetings with potential clients and the ad execs in charge of the various clients. I always had a lot of balls in the air, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I liked being busy. Busy meant job security for myself and the hundred people I employed.

“You have the meeting with the model for the sportswear company later today,” Lena said. “Do you need her file?” 

I shook my head. “No.”

The phone rang, and she answered it from my own desk, which felt a little strange, but she would have slapped my hand away if I tried to answer my own phone.

“Just a moment please,” she said, pushing a button and returning the phone to its cradle.

“Who is it?” I asked, watching her gather her things.

“Your father’s attorney. He says it’s important.”

I groaned. That couldn’t be good. “Thank you, Lena.”

She stopped at the door and smiled. “Let me know if you need anything,” she said before walking out, closing the door behind her.

“Good afternoon, Bob,” I said, picking up the phone.

“Terran, we need to talk.”

I let out a long sigh. I already knew what he wanted to talk about. It was more pressure about getting married.

“I know about the clause, Bob. I’m still trying to figure out how I want to proceed. You know how I feel about this.”

He cleared his throat. “I was reviewing the will, which as you know, was extremely detailed. Your father had some very specific instructions.”

I chuckled, thinking about my dad and his strict adherence to rules. “I know he did, and I understand them.”

“Actually, you don’t. I didn’t know until recently.”

“Know what?” I asked, almost afraid to hear what he would say.

Bob wasn’t the kind of guy to beat around the bush. The fact that he was hedging put me on edge. I leaned forward, putting my elbows on my mahogany desk with the phone pressed to my ear.

“This is something I’d like to discuss in person,” he said. Then I knew for sure it was serious.

“When?” I asked, expecting him to ask me to stop by sometime during the week.

“How about now?”

My stomach did a strange roll and hop as I realized he was extremely serious. “I’ll clear my schedule and be there soon.”

“Thank you,” he said and hung up the phone.

I took a second to collect my thoughts before buzzing Lena. “I need you to clear my schedule for the day please.”

“Excuse me?”

“Clear my schedule.”

“Will you be back at all?”

“No. Reschedule what you can for later in the week. I’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she said, sounding hesitant.

I grabbed what I needed and headed out of the office. I had no idea what was happening, but the sense of doom I felt couldn’t be ignored. I could feel change on the horizon. I had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.

I took a cab to Bob’s office and strode through the building, using every inch of my six-foot, three-inch frame to get me to his secretary faster.

I was asked to wait a moment before being escorted in. Bob was sitting at his desk, his bald head reflecting the light from above as he read a piece of paper. He looked up when I came in, pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up his nose, and stood to shake my hand. The much shorter man still had a powerful grip.

“What’s going on?” I asked, sitting across from him without being asked.

He was my father’s oldest friend, and I had known him since I was young. I didn’t feel the need to keep things overly formal.

“Terran, I was rereading your father’s will, making sure everything had been carried out as he asked when I saw a note about an additional clause. Now, I want you to know this is his doing, not mine, but I am legally and morally obligated to uphold his demands when it comes to his estate.” 

Then I knew for sure he was about to tell me something that was going to be hard to digest.

“Spill it, Bob.”

“As you know, your father has stipulated you must be married or engaged by your birthday to inherit the estate he left to you.”

I nodded my head. “Old news.”