Page 19

“So what I snap.
“So he, like, invented AI drones. He even wrote a book about the future of individual flight.” Josiah lifts the book and opens it to the page with Cullen’s freshly-imprinted autograph. “It was really good.”
“Thank you.” Cullen smiles.
“Josiah, go to your room. I need to talk to Mr. Cullen alone.”
“But—”
“Go.Now.”
My brother huffs but obediently treks away. I wait until the door down the hall slams shut and then take a seat.
My brother doesn’t hand out compliments often and he doesn’t take to people either. He refuses to acknowledge Big T, despite him dropping by every Saturday to help me. Even some of Josiah’s teachers complain that he doesn’t respect them.
I still don’t trust this Cullen guy, but Josiah seems to have a good impression of him. I don’t want to ruin my brother’s future by being hasty.
“When you said you want Josiah to be your legacy, what exactly did you mean?” I ask in as slow and measured a voice as I can.
Cullen leans forward. “I mean that I’d like to mentor Josiah and teach him everything I know with the little time I have left.”
“Little time?” I arch a brow.
“I have lung cancer,” he says casually.
I jerk back a little.
“I don’t know how much longer I’ll live,” Cullen continues as if he’s discussing the weather, the latest sports stats, or how high gas prices are these days, “but while I’m alive I’d like to teach Josiah everything I know and,” he pauses, “when I die, I’d like to leave him all my assets.”
Now it’s my turn to blink slowly. “You… what?”
“Gentlemen.” Cullen clears his throat.
One by one, the men in the white gloves approach me. I shift backward in the couch, uncomfortable when the men crowd around me.
“These are notaries from the most reputable notary company in the state.” Cullen gestures to the documents that the notaries are cracking open. “These are the original certifications for my patents, trademarks, and contracts with the publishing company for my book deal.” He waves the two men without glovesforward. “These are my lawyers. They negotiated the sale of my company to Richard Sullivan and the documents?—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why are you telling me all this?” I squeeze my eyes shut as if pretending they’re not there will make them go away. “Mr. Cullen, I appreciate that you see potential in my brother and I’m so sorry about your health challenges, but this is too much. I don’t need to see all of this.”
“As Josiah’s guardian, it’s only natural that you have questions about me. I know how absurd this all sounds. The notaries are here to assure you that I am who I say I am.”
“It doesn’t matter.” With a tight, uncomfortable smile, I shut the velvet box holding a patent and tilt my head around the notary to look at Cullen. “Josiah can’t do anything with these. He’s only eleven.”
His eyebrows go up with what looks like bemused delight. “I’ll admit, that was a shock to me. I had a feeling he was young, but I didn’t know he wasthisyoung.”
“Yes, well, exactly. He’s too young. So… thanks, but no thanks.” I make a shooing gesture. “You and your lawyers and your notaries can see yourselves out. Maybe come back when Josiah’s eighteen and can make his own decisions.”
The notaries glance at one another and then look to Cullen for instruction. He motions them out of the house.
At once, the air feels lighter and the room isn’t as stuffy. I had no idea how small our living room was until it was cramped with people.
“Ms. Davis, I’ll be honest with you,” Cullen says quietly. “I won’t be around when Josiah is eighteen.”
I freeze, taken aback by his honesty. Eyelashes fluttering, I suggest, “Not to be cold, but have you ever heard of a trust fund?”
Cullen looks up at the ceiling as if he’s seeing a vision of the world as he wants it to be. “There are some benefits I wantJosiah to have access to now. Things that will help foster his insane potential. And also,” he tilts his head to the side ever so slightly, “I want to be around when his life changes. I don’t want that change to happen long after I die.”
“Yeah, well, there’s no way for that to happen so?—”