Finally a Family. Carolyne Aarsen

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ

      Though Hannah nodded, she struggled to process the concept. Half of some farm? If she stayed six months? In what twisted corner of Sam’s mind did he think he was doing her any favor with this?

      Hannah’s salon plans didn’t include a six-month detour in this forgotten corner of the world with people who wouldn’t acknowledge her presence in Sam’s life.

      She chanced a quick look at the man beside her.

      Ethan rocked in his chair, as well, his mouth set in hard lines, his face angry. Not difficult to see he didn’t like the idea, either.

      Well, no worries there, Hannah thought, rubbing her forehead. She had only come to Riverbend because of Dan’s phone call and Lizzie thinking Hannah had something coming to her from Sam.

      And it appeared she had. Half of a farm. She wondered what Lizzie would say to that.

      “There is more,” Dan said. “He says, ‘Hannah, if you don’t want to stay, you lose your half of the farm. I know this comes out of the blue, but I’ve had time to think while I’m lying here in this hospital. I know I’m dying and I want to fix what I should have fixed long ago. Hannah, I’m sorry. Forgive me. I want to make things right. If you stay, in six months Dan will have another meeting with you. I want you to know I thought of you lots and always loved you.’ And that’s the end of what he has to say to you.” Dan paused a moment as if to give Hannah a chance to absorb the words.

      Hannah knew it was going to take more than a few moments to get this all straight in her mind.

      Dan glanced at his nephew. “Sam had something to say to you, as well.”

      “I’m sure he did,” Ethan said, his voice a growl.

      “I’ll read that now. ‘Ethan, I hope you understand that I had to do this. I’m sorry for you, as well. You were always going to get the farm like I promised and if Hannah leaves, it’s all yours. You’ve been a big help to me. I couldn’t have run the farm without you. You are the only Westerveld who loved the farm like your grandfather did. I want you to know I love you. I’m sorry if this doesn’t seem fair to you, but I want you to know I have to do right by Hannah. Because I didn’t years ago. You’ve been a great partner and you’re a wonderful and loving nephew. I hope you understand. With love, Sam.’” In the ensuing silence, Dan looked at the letter he still held in his hand, as if trying to digest this information once again. Then he slowly folded it up and inserted it back in the envelope. “And that ends the letter.”

      Ethan got up, walked to the bookshelf, then turned to his uncle. “I’m trying to understand this, Dan, but I can’t. Grandpa Westerveld was working me into the farm. Then, when Sam finally came back, I started working with him. I’ve put years of my life into that place. I put money into it—” He stopped there, glanced at Hannah, then continued. “Uncle Sam showed me a copy of his will in the hospital. It never said anything about this.”

      Hannah felt a moment’s compassion at the hurt she heard under Ethan’s bluster.

      “And now, out of the blue he’s giving half to…to—” he waved his hand toward Hannah as if she were some piece of detritus clinging to his shiny boots “—her.”

      “Sam changed the will just before he died. And her name is Hannah,” Dan chided.

      Ethan ignored Dan’s reprimand and leaned back against the shelves. “And what am I supposed to do with a partner who knows zip about farming? Who probably doesn’t even know what that place is worth? What was Uncle Sam thinking?”

      Ethan’s anger battered at Hannah’s fragile self-control, his words mixing and churning in her own mind. But curiously his anger at what Sam had done created the opposite effect.

      Why didn’t he think she deserved half of this farm? Sam had been her “father” for nine years. And after he left them, neither she nor her mother had ever received a dime from him.

      Hannah recalled the humiliation of those years post-Sam. Constantly short of money, living with a mother who, after her nervous breakdown, couldn’t work. In spite of that, and with the help of the occasional trip to the food bank, she managed to keep a home.

      “When did that first will change? And why?” Ethan’s expression hardened. “I’m going to contest this. I’ll be talking to Jace tomorrow.”

      Dan leaned back in his chair. “We’re not discussing this in front of Hannah,” he said quietly. “Suffice it to say this letter was witnessed and notarized and at the time of writing Sam was declared in his right mind. The official will states exactly what I just read, but Sam wrote this letter to explain what he called ‘the dry lawyer language’ in the will.”

      “What if I don’t want the farm?” Hannah asked.

      Dan looked toward her, as if remembering she was there. “Then you don’t get anything, I’m afraid.”

      Hannah tapped her thumbs together, remembering her and her mother’s life with Sam. She didn’t have anything from Sam now other than memories. This family had everything.

      She had no right to the farm, and yet to walk away with empty hands from a family who didn’t even acknowledge their presence in Sam’s life…

      Memories piled upon memories. Whispered telephone conversations Sam had with family members back here. The way he retreated from her and her mother afterward.

      Hannah looked down, her emotions coloring her thoughts.

      “I don’t know what to do,” she said.

      “Of course not,” Dan said, his soft voice sounding as if he understood. “You should give yourself some time to think about this.”

      “Uncle Dan…”

      Dan held up his hand, forestalling any more comments from his nephew.

      “I’m sorry,” Ethan said. “I’ve been out of line. It’s just…Sam…” His voice broke. Then he strode past the desk to the window and braced one hand on the frame, the other on his hip as he stared out into the yard. He stood in profile to Hannah and for a moment she saw a flash of genuine sorrow on his face.

      In spite of his previous antagonism, she found herself feeling bad for him. He had just lost an uncle he’d worked with side by side for so many years. And then to hear this same uncle, out of the blue, had promised a complete stranger half of the farm—well, if she’d just had a shock, she was sure he’d had a bigger one.

      “I don’t want you to make this decision lightly,” Dan said, holding Hannah’s regard. “I would really like it if you would come with me to the farm and have a look at Sam’s place.”

      For the briefest moment she felt a tug of emotion.

      That was silly. She was a city girl. That wasn’t going to change.

      She had her plans. When the salon she and Lizzie were buying generated enough money, maybe then she could look at a place with a real yard. But for now, she had to be satisfied with what she could realistically afford.

      “I thought you might like to at least see where Sam lived before you make your decision,” Dan continued. “He took over the farm from our parents. He grew up there, as did we.” The СКАЧАТЬ