cruel to me. I made one lousy mistake with my own money, and this is my payback, while three organizations and a flipping food store get millions!”
“Abigail, don’t forget we’re trying for a wrongful death lawsuit. You could possibly walk away with millions right there.”
“Yeah, and a lot of bad karma and voodoo juju, damn it! Keep me posted.” Abby stormed out the door, slamming it extra hard. She drove to Melanie’s workplace, calling her on the way. “Do you have time to take me home? I won’t be able to pick you up after work.”
“Sure, I can do that, but why?”
“Because I’m going to be drunk by then and incapable of driving,” Abby said as she pulled up along the curb.
“Crap. It didn’t go well at the attorney’s office?”
“Not even close. I’m outside, by the way.”
“Okay. I’ll be down in five minutes.”
Chapter Eight
The three women sat in the library after dinner, trying to come up with a plan to support the household. Abby nestled in, her feet scrunched up under her body on the antique wingback chair, while Betsy and Melanie got comfortable on the overstuffed sofa.
“I still can’t believe what my mom did to me. I’m either going to break out in acne or get a stomach ulcer any minute now. I ran the numbers this afternoon, and it almost made me throw up. Do you guys realize the property taxes here are more than twenty-five thousand dollars a year? That’s insane, and the flood insurance is ten thousand dollars annually. Household bills like electricity, natural gas, water, Internet, and cable are eight hundred fifty a month. Attorney Lewis gave me the tax and insurance statements this morning, then I made phone calls this afternoon to get all the bills transferred out of my mom’s name and put into mine. I didn’t even have time to get drunk because I was so busy reading over all this paperwork and getting pissed off.”
Abby pressed her palms against her temples and shook her head.
“You guys, I’m seriously going to freak out with these expenses right now. I have to come up with something, and quick. Mom’s funeral expenses were ten thousand dollars, so there isn’t much left of the cash we found. After the regular bills I have to pay and then tacking on incidentals, it will come to fifty thousand dollars a year just to support this house, and the kicker is I’m not allowed to sell it. It’s payback on Mom’s part. I know it is. She wants me to prove I can be responsible and resourceful when I have absolutely no money. There’s no way I can afford to go to school now or buy a car. Damn it, I do need a drink after all. Anyone care to join me?”
“I’ll get it. Just stay put and breathe.” Betsy pulled three rocks glasses out of the liquor cabinet and poured single malt scotch into each one. “I do have an idea,” she said as she passed out the glasses.
“Throw it out there, sister. I’m game for anything,” Abby said with a sip and a sigh.
“How about taking in boarders?”
“Huh? You mean like transient, homeless people, or drunks and drug addicts that are on a twelve-step program? That idea wouldn’t go over very well in this neighborhood, if you know what I mean. I appreciate your suggestion though.”
“No, Abby, that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean regular folks. Look what Mel was paying for an eight-hundred-fifty-square-foot apartment, and that didn’t even include utilities. You don’t have to pay me a wage anymore. I’m getting room and board in this beautiful mansion. The least I can do is keep it clean and cook the food I’m eating.”
“Yeah, that goes for me, too. I was paying a thousand fifty dollars without utilities. The least I can do is pay the same I was paying in an apartment that was an eighth the size of this house. How many people can say their address is on East or South Battery? That in itself is worth the look on people’s faces. Think about it. There are still six empty bedrooms in this house. Why
“Abigail, don’t forget we’re trying for a wrongful death lawsuit. You could possibly walk away with millions right there.”
“Yeah, and a lot of bad karma and voodoo juju, damn it! Keep me posted.” Abby stormed out the door, slamming it extra hard. She drove to Melanie’s workplace, calling her on the way. “Do you have time to take me home? I won’t be able to pick you up after work.”
“Sure, I can do that, but why?”
“Because I’m going to be drunk by then and incapable of driving,” Abby said as she pulled up along the curb.
“Crap. It didn’t go well at the attorney’s office?”
“Not even close. I’m outside, by the way.”
“Okay. I’ll be down in five minutes.”
Chapter Eight
The three women sat in the library after dinner, trying to come up with a plan to support the household. Abby nestled in, her feet scrunched up under her body on the antique wingback chair, while Betsy and Melanie got comfortable on the overstuffed sofa.
“I still can’t believe what my mom did to me. I’m either going to break out in acne or get a stomach ulcer any minute now. I ran the numbers this afternoon, and it almost made me throw up. Do you guys realize the property taxes here are more than twenty-five thousand dollars a year? That’s insane, and the flood insurance is ten thousand dollars annually. Household bills like electricity, natural gas, water, Internet, and cable are eight hundred fifty a month. Attorney Lewis gave me the tax and insurance statements this morning, then I made phone calls this afternoon to get all the bills transferred out of my mom’s name and put into mine. I didn’t even have time to get drunk because I was so busy reading over all this paperwork and getting pissed off.”
Abby pressed her palms against her temples and shook her head.
“You guys, I’m seriously going to freak out with these expenses right now. I have to come up with something, and quick. Mom’s funeral expenses were ten thousand dollars, so there isn’t much left of the cash we found. After the regular bills I have to pay and then tacking on incidentals, it will come to fifty thousand dollars a year just to support this house, and the kicker is I’m not allowed to sell it. It’s payback on Mom’s part. I know it is. She wants me to prove I can be responsible and resourceful when I have absolutely no money. There’s no way I can afford to go to school now or buy a car. Damn it, I do need a drink after all. Anyone care to join me?”
“I’ll get it. Just stay put and breathe.” Betsy pulled three rocks glasses out of the liquor cabinet and poured single malt scotch into each one. “I do have an idea,” she said as she passed out the glasses.
“Throw it out there, sister. I’m game for anything,” Abby said with a sip and a sigh.
“How about taking in boarders?”
“Huh? You mean like transient, homeless people, or drunks and drug addicts that are on a twelve-step program? That idea wouldn’t go over very well in this neighborhood, if you know what I mean. I appreciate your suggestion though.”
“No, Abby, that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean regular folks. Look what Mel was paying for an eight-hundred-fifty-square-foot apartment, and that didn’t even include utilities. You don’t have to pay me a wage anymore. I’m getting room and board in this beautiful mansion. The least I can do is keep it clean and cook the food I’m eating.”
“Yeah, that goes for me, too. I was paying a thousand fifty dollars without utilities. The least I can do is pay the same I was paying in an apartment that was an eighth the size of this house. How many people can say their address is on East or South Battery? That in itself is worth the look on people’s faces. Think about it. There are still six empty bedrooms in this house. Why
Similar Books
