Page 20 of Aquarius Awakening (BLP Signs of Love #20)
Blessing in Disguise
A Week Later
The sky was dark and gloomy as the rain poured down. It was ironic that today would be full of torrential downpours as we gathered for Granny Tab’s will reading. Imani and I were in a car heading to the city for the reading.
“Since you and Jacob have made things official, you barely have time for little ole me,” Imani complained.
I looked at her confused. “Weren’t you the one telling me how you needed a new brother-in-law. How am I supposed to accomplish that without spending time with the man?”
“Fine. What does my brother-in-law think about you seeing Mason today?” she asked.
“He just wanted to make sure I was good,” I said
“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Imani joked.
“You’re so damn silly,” I said as I shook my head. Imani kept me laughing for the entire ride. The laughter was needed for this dark day that made me feel melancholy.
As we approached the address included in the letter sent to me, the rain slowed down. We quickly got out of the car before the sky decided to open back up. Once inside the building, we checked in with security and received passes to head up to the tenth floor.
My stomach was full of knots as the elevator doors opened on the tenth floor.
Granny Tab had always been a buffer for me, as Mason’s mother and sister were never warm and fuzzy toward me.
Since Mason and I split up, I had grown into a new and better version of my former self.
The woman that Mason was married to was gone.
I hoped for his family’s sake that they didn’t get too out of pocket.
This version of Faith wasn’t going to be walked over and spoken to in any kind of way.
Mason’s was the first face as we stepped off the elevator.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he questioned.
“I see some things never change. Obviously, I was invited, you asshole.” I hissed.
“Asshole? Who the fuck do you think you are speaking to?” Mason asked as he gave me a threatening stare.
“The only asshole I see standing here. Why don’t you focus on the woman seated next to you? I’m no longer any of your concern,” I countered with much attitude.
Before he could continue with his pointless questions, a security guard walked over to me.
“Ma’am, is everything okay?” the guard asked.
“Everything’s all good. Sorry for the commotion. The man-child over there was having a tantrum,” I replied.
I looked over at Mason, and his baby mother whispered in his ear. Whatever she told Mason, he finally stopped staring at me.
A receptionist walked over to us and led us to a conference room surrounded by glass doors. An older white gentleman with a bald spot in the middle of his head introduced himself.
“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Aaron Thomas, Mrs. Baxter’s attorney. Once everyone is settled, we can proceed with the reading of the will,” the attorney introduced himself.
One by one, we all took a seat around the circular wooden table. Imani sat next to me. Mason’s aunt and sister sat next to her, while Mason, his baby mother, and mother all sat on the opposite side of the table. Mason continued to stare at me as if he were intimidating me.
Aaron must have been moving too slowly for Mason’s liking because he rudely shouted, “Can we just hurry this up?”
“Of course, Mr. Baxter, we can get started,” Aaron answered.
All eyes were on the attorney as he cleared his throat and proceeded to start the reading.
“In the last will and testament of Tabitha Baxter, Mrs. Baxter left a letter to dedicate her wishes.
“Hello family, if you are all gathered, that means the good Lord has called me home. As the matriarch of this family, it has been my job to keep you all together. In my death, I hope you all continue to love on each other as I’ve loved on you.
Now, let’s get down to business. To my dear sister, Tina, I leave my fur collection.
Hopefully, they will keep you warm during those cold New York winters.
My daughter, Mary, I give my jewelry collection to you.
To my beloved granddaughter, Tiffany, I leave my fine China collection, recipes, and wedding dress.
All things you can use for your future family.
My dear grandson, Mason, I leave you the family Bible.
No matter how hard I’ve tried to tell you that love is the universal language, you continue to have so much hatred in your heart.
I pray you can get a relationship with God before you leave this Earth. .. ” Aaron stated.
Before Aaron could continue, Mason blurted out, “A fucking Bible? This is some bullshit. I know she left me more than a fucking Bible! This shit is unbelievable, man!”
“Mr. Baxter, please contain yourself until the reading is concluded. If you are unable to do so, I’ll have security escort you out.”
Mason remained seated and sucked his teeth.
“And last but definitely not least, my dear granddaughter in love, Faith. I’ll leave you, my home.
Many of you don’t know that Faith and I spent many days together just the two of us.
She kept me sane on days when the cancer was taking over my body.
Coming to check on me in between her difficult time with infertility treatments.
I leave you my home because you always made it feel like one, even when I couldn’t.
I’m sorry we never did anything to stop Mason from treating you badly.
I hope the home my late husband and I raised our family in can one day become a home to you and yours.
Mason never deserved you, so I pray you one day find the love you deserve.
Well, family, that’s it for me. Mason, you leave Faith alone.
No one is to contest this will. I’m of sound mind and body.
This will is a valid, legally binding document.
Sending love and blessings to you all.” Aaron concluded the reading.
My eyes watered as Imani held my hand tightly.
Imani knew how much Granny Tab meant to me.
I could never have expected Granny Tab to do such a thing.
She loved me from the beginning of my relationship with her grandson to her dying day.
I regretted not being with her during her final days.
I was hurt and in my feelings, and that hurt caused me to neglect someone near and dear to my heart.
Mason stood up and grabbed his baby mama to exit the room. Before he left, he warned, “Don’t think you are keeping my granny’s house. I’ll be contesting this will.”
Once he exited, the rest of his family followed behind him. Aaron, Imani, and I were the only people remaining in the large conference room.
“Is this real?” I asked Aaron.
“It’s very real. You are now the owner of Mrs. Baxter’s estate in Brookville. The deed has already been transferred to your name.” He slid me an envelope with the deed and the keys to the house.
“I can tell by your reaction that you’re surprised by all of this.
During the time that I knew Mrs. Baxter, she spoke of you more than she did of everyone else in this room.
She intended for you and her grandson to have the house.
However, once she found out he was divorcing you, she changed her mind.
Here is my card. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me,” he said.
After a few minutes of silence, I gathered the envelope as we left the office.
The lobby was clear as we made our way to the elevator.
I was still too stunned to speak. Granny Tab’s home had been in the Baxter family for generations.
I didn’t even care that she left me the house.
I would cherish her last words to me forever.
Imani and I eventually hailed a cab and made our way back to my place in Brooklyn.
During the entire ride, we sat in silence.
Imani knew me well enough to understand that sometimes I needed to be in my own world.
Tears streamed down my face as I reminisced about the times I spent with Granny Tab.
I wiped my face before we exited the cab in front of my place.
After doing some digging in my purse, I found my sunglasses.
The sun had come out when we were a few blocks away from my place.
Once we were inside my place, I went straight out to the patio.
“What are you going to do about the house?” Imani asked.
“I have no idea. This is too much. Mason isn’t going to let me have the house without a fight, so I won’t get too attached to the idea of keeping it for now,” I admitted.
“Yeah, the man-child was mad as hell. Granny Tab was a mess, talking about how his ass needed to get closer to God. He deserved that for how he treated you,” Imani stated.
“Granny Tab didn’t play about me, not even when it came to her own grandson. I’m really going to miss her. I can’t believe she passed, and I wasn’t there. That guilt is going to be with me for a long time,” I confessed as I put my head down.
“By her final words to you, she understood. The two of you built a very special bond. She knew how much you loved her. In her last days, she remembered how you were there for her. Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Imani advised as she walked over and hugged me.
For the rest of the afternoon, Imani made me share only happy memories of my time with Granny Tab. It was nice to reminisce on the positive. I vowed that was all I would focus on when it came to Granny Tab. She was a hell of a woman.