The Two-Family House(78)

When the lawyer called the Monday after the wedding, Rose couldn’t believe that Faye was gone. At that point she hadn’t seen her aunt in more than two years.

The lawyer had a lot of information to go over with her. “I’ll be sending you the details in the mail, but your aunt’s will is very clear. She left her house and her entire residuary estate to you.”

“I’m not familiar with the legal terms. What does that mean?”

“Well, aside from some charitable bequests and specific bequests of tangible property—jewelry and other mementos—Faye left you the rest of everything she owned, including her house, bank accounts and stock portfolios.”

“What about my cousins in California? Her will must mention them?”

“The will lists all other possible heirs by name, including your cousins, but it states clearly that you are the only one to inherit the bulk of the estate.”

Rose had almost no contact with her cousins. None of them had flown to New York for the wedding, and none of them had sent Mimi a gift. Still, she wondered what they would think of her getting all of Aunt Faye’s money. She doubted they would be happy for her. “Did Faye say why?”

“The will states that you were the niece who took the most interest in her, and the only one with whom she had regular contact. However, your aunt also left a handwritten letter on file with us, giving more explicit reasons. She referenced the loss of your son several years ago and her hope that this money might bring you some measure of happiness.”

Rose couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Well, thank you very much for your time.”

“There is one additional matter. Faye made a personal bequest to one of your relatives.” Rose could hear the shuffling of papers in the background. “Here it is. Your niece, I believe. Natalie. I was hoping you could provide me with an address and phone number for her.”

“Natalie?” Rose was stunned.

“It seems Faye met her at your home and was quite taken with her.”

“What did she give her?”

“I’ll read it to you: ‘To Natalie Berman, the niece of my niece Rose Berman, I hereby give and bequeath my Cartier platinum and diamond earrings. I hope she will enjoy them and keep them to remember me by.’”

“Diamond earrings?”

“Yes.”

“You realize Natalie is only thirteen years old?”

“I’m sure the girl’s parents will keep them for her until—”

Rose cut him off. “Thank you for your time.”

“About that address—”

Rose hung up the phone before the lawyer could finish. Let him find the address from someone else. She was furious. Natalie again! What made her so damned special? Rose flung the phone across the room.

“What was that?” Judith called down the stairs when she heard the noise. She was home for a few more weeks before she returned to Boston for her summer research position.

“Nothing,” Rose answered, trying to sound undisturbed. “I dropped the phone.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Everything’s fine.”

Rose was distraught over Faye’s passing, but her anger over the bequest to Natalie superseded her grief. What had Faye been thinking? She hadn’t left gifts for the other girls. Why Natalie? What set her apart? And why was everyone always so taken with her?

Rose was up late that night, waiting for Mort to return from the hospital. She was anxious for news, and she wanted to know what Abe remembered from the wedding. She certainly wasn’t about to call Helen to find out.

“Abe woke up tonight,” Mort told her as he removed his tie.

Rose’s heart was pounding. “That’s good news … isn’t it?”

“Yes, very.”

“Did he … say anything?”

“Not much. I was the only one there at first. Helen was at home getting some clean clothes, but she came later. He was a little woozy still, mumbling about eating too many lamb chops.”

“Well, did you see him at the reception? He was shoveling them in like he hadn’t eaten in a week.”

“Rose, please. He’s in the hospital.”

“Well, maybe he wouldn’t be in the hospital if he hadn’t made such a pig of himself.”

“Enough!” She had gone too far. Mort looked like he was about to explode. “My brother had a heart attack! He could have died and all you can do is criticize his eating habits? What’s wrong with you?”

She was unprepared for his outburst, but he wasn’t done. “I forbid you from saying one more word against my brother. Do you hear me?” Mort’s voice grew more hostile and ragged. “Or against Helen either! That woman has done nothing but try to help you for as long as she’s known you. Do you remember how she used to come downstairs and take care of Teddy when he was a baby? Or how she came with me to the hospital when he got hurt? When Teddy died, Helen was here every night cooking and cleaning. So what is so terrible about her? What did she ever do to make you hate her so much?”

The way Mort looked at her then was something she would never forget: like she was a monster from a nightmare and he couldn’t wake up. It was awful, but she would have been able to get past it if he hadn’t thrown all of Helen’s good deeds in her face. If he hadn’t held Helen up like some kind of saint against her own awful wickedness. She might even have apologized for the lamb chop comment if Mort just hadn’t said what he said to her next.