Page 17

"Then what is it? Why would you want to remain here and be involved in such an ugly, legal battle?" Grant practically demanded.

"It's what Grandmother Hudson wanted." I said, I knew it was something I was repeating until it was almost a mantra, a chant to help me let through the tension, but it was what I truly believed,

"You can't believe she wanted everyone snipping at everyone else. right? You can't believe she wanted her family name dragged through the mud and splattered on the front pages for everyone to see? You can't believe that she worked and her husband worked all their lives for that sort of thing, can you? If you really cared for her and if you're really concerned about her legacy. you wouldn't let that sort of thing happen."

"Neither would any of you," I fired back.

Now. Grant's face took on some crimson. He sat back and let the hot air in his lungs slip out his slightly open lips.

"Would anyone like anything cold to drink?" I offered with a smile.

Victoria looked satisfied when she turned to Grant this time.

She looked like what she had predicted would happen had come true and she liked being right. Grant shook his head. Then he turned to my mother, which was obviously their predetermined signal for her to start.

"Don't you want to return to your studies in London?" she asked me.

"I'm thinking I will, yes. I'd like to get to know my father better, too."

"Well, how will you do all that if you're bogged down here in a legal swamp?" she asked. "You don't want any of that. Rain. You shouldn't have that in your life now. Go sit in the office with Grant and work out a compromise so we can put all this to rest and go back to being a family."

"A family? What kind of a family? You haven't even told your children who I really am. They looked at me at the funeral, wondering why I was crying more than they were!" I practically shouted.

"We're going to take care of that problem." she promised.

"Hmmm," Victoria muttered.

I knew she was thinking that this whole thing is a problem that shouldn't have begun.

"Good. You do that. Mother," I said. I stood up. "Mr. Sanger told me to tell you that if you have any questions about the will, you should refer them to him. I was just about to make some coffee before you all showed up. Would anyone else like some coffee?" I asked.

The three of them stared at me.

"Don't do this. Rain." my mother pleaded. "Your mama wouldn't have wanted this for you."

I felt the fire in my heart reach into my face, especially my eyes.

"You met my mama. Mother." I said slowly, each word stinging sharply as a dart. "You saw what she was like. Do you think she was a woman who ran from a battle?"

I turned before she could respond. and I walked out, feeling as if Grandmother Hudson's eves had been an me the whole time. I could almost see her smiling.

Almost immediately. Victoria began her complaining. I lingered in the hallway, listening.

"So much for how you were going to convince her. Megan. Your being here didn't add a thing to help us. None of this would be happening if it wasn't for what you did," she happily reminded her. "You've put Grant in a very difficult position. Now, what will we do. Grant?" she followed, her voice suddenly becoming the voice of a more desperate, feminine woman turning to her man for strength,

"We'll have to go see Marty Braunstein. I was hoping it would be for other reasons."

"Don't worry about it. Grant." Victoria assured him. "In time she will see how ridiculous it is for her to be a majority owner of the estate. She's young and she won't want to be bothered by all this

responsibility. Believe me, after a while, she will compromise. You don't have to risk your reputation,'" she told him. "Let me handle this. She wants to be involved in our affairs. All right. I'll involve her."

"That's a determined young woman," he said. "If there wasn't so much at stake. I could let myself admire her."

He groaned and stood up. I could hear my mother sniffle. "Too late for tears," Victoria spit at her.

I continued to the kitchen and started making the coffee. I heard the front door open and close and thought they had all just walked out, but a moment later, my mother appeared in the kitchen doorway.

She smiled and gazed around.