Page 4 of Night Songs

“Thanks.” I cringed internally, praying that was the end of it.

The doorbell rang, and we all looked sharply toward the door.

“Are you expecting someone?” Carl asked Lorraine.

“No.” She glanced at me and Dinah, and we both shrugged.

Carl grunted and went to the window that offered a view of the front stoop. He gestured at Lorraine, who joined him, and they whispered fiercely to each other before Carl muttered he wouldn’t hide in his own home and opened the door.

A man in a well-tailored suit carrying a briefcase stood in the doorway, elegantly silhouetted against the suburban sunshine.

“Mr. Blau, we weren’t expecting you.”

“Good morning, Mr. Keller. I apologize for the intrusion, but it could not be avoided. I have made many attempts to get in touch with Miss Larsen via phone and mail, but they have all been unsuccessful.” His speech was polished and polite with a slight twang.

Lorraine stepped between them and lowered her voice. “We’vebeen trying to get in touch withyou. Have you gotten any of our messages?”

His mouth flattened into a thin line. “Yes, I have.” He didn’t elaborate. “May I come in? I’d like to speak with Miss Larsen.”

Carl stepped in front of the doorway. “No, you may not. As her legal guardians, we’re not comfortable with you speaking to our daughter.”

Carl liked to invoke their “guardianship” when it suited him, as if they were my fierce, loving protectors. Never mind that after eleven years, they still hadn’t adopted me.

“Am I mistaken that today is Miss Larsen’s eighteenth birthday? She is no longer a minor, sir, and therefore, no longer under yourjurisdiction.”

I had never seen anyone talk to Carl this way. I was stunned, and incredibly confused.

Mr. Blau craned his neck around my flustered relatives and made eye contact with me. “Miss Larsen, if your aunt and uncle aren’t comfortable with me coming inside, would you care to join me on the front lawn?”

“No! No. You can come in,” Carl blustered, and Lorraine ushered theman past the door before the neighbors could witness any more. They moved to sit on the couch in the living room, but Mr. Blau stopped them. “This will be a private meeting between Miss Larsen and I.”

Carl swore under his breath and Lorraine scowled, but they begrudgingly trudged upstairs to their room, gesturing for Dinah to follow.

Mr. Blau trained his gaze toward the ceiling, and I watched it catch on the oil painting of Dinah and her horse. He studied it curiously until we heard two doors shut upstairs, then he took a seat and folded his hands in his lap. “Miss Larsen. My name is Anthony Blau, and I am your mother’s estate lawyer. Now that you are eighteen—” He paused awkwardly. “Happy birthday, by the way.”

My stomach turned at the words, and I urged him to go on.

“As I was saying, now that you are eighteen, you may assume control of your mother’s estate as indicated in her will.” He opened his briefcase and laid out a few papers on the coffee table.

From the picture Lorraine had painted, I’d always imagined my mother dying penniless in a dirty motel room, and my father’s family being forced to take me in out of Christian guilt. I wondered what kind of “estate” she could have left behind.

He continued, “These documents describe the full contents of the estate, which includes a financial portfolio of various stocks, bonds, mutual funds, retirement accounts, and a few real estate holdings in Nashville. We’ve also set aside some cash that you can access right away—”

My mouth went dry. “What… what is this?”

“This is your mother’s estate.” He gestured at the papers. “Which is now being passed to you.”

“How… how much is it worth?”

He pursed his lips. “If you liquidated right now—of course you’d pay some hefty fees, but if you wanted to take the hit…” He paused, calculating. “I’d say you’d have about ten million in cash. Of course it’sworthmore than that if you allow it to continue to grow.” He glanced up at me for a response, but I was having a hard time breathing. “Pardon my rambling.Do you understand the basic concept, or is there something I can explain a bit better at this juncture?”

“No, I don’t understand. Where did this all come from? How did she have so much money?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well, as you know, she wasquitesuccessful when she was alive, especially in the five years before her death. She was shrewd with her money, and she set it up well for you. It has grown immensely over the years.”

“What do you mean, ‘she was successful’? Doing what?”

He paused, collecting himself. “You don’t know who your mother was?”