Chapter Four
After Jamie had made his way through the dining room, shaking hands, personally thanking people for coming, and listening to personal stories about his grandparents, he finally got to ask Flo to bring Mr. Brown back to the kitchen so he could find out about his grandparents’ Last Will and Testament.
He needed to get rid of his mother once and for all.
“Well now, Jamie,” Glenn Brown said, his hands in his pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels. “We need to set up a time and place to discuss the wishes of your grandmother.” He pushed his glasses up his nose. “I assume you’d like to take care of that as soon as possible?”
Jamie saw his mother making a beeline towards them. “Yes, Mr. Brown, at your very earliest convenience, please.”
“What is going on here, if I may be so bold as to ask?” Marlene stepped up, taking a spot close to Jamie’s side. Jamie couldn’t help but notice that it had gotten quiet in the kitchen suddenly, unusually so, as well as in the dining room.
“I was just informed by Mr. Brown here,” Jamie indicated Glenn who was standing in front of him... them, “That there is a will and I wanted to know when would be a good time to go over it. I’ve asked him to make it as quickly as possible, if that is alright with you... mother.”
If Jamie didn’t like her before, now he just hated her.
How could a woman be so callous towards her own parents and her own child.
He never understood the woman who had given birth to him, dumped him, and wouldn’t tell him who his father was.
He did have to smile, because he knew who his father was, but that tidbit of information hadn’t come from his mother, and he was positive she had no idea that he knew.
Mr. Brown looked at Marlene, his face blank, and then to Jamie. “I happen to have the papers with me.” He patted his suit jacket where the inside pocket would be.
“Works for me,” Jamie said smiling. If he knew his grandparents, and he liked to think he did, he was certain that Mr. Brown had been warned about Jamie’s mother. “Why don’t we step into the office.”
The office was smaller than most coat closets. The only time it was used was to count any cash that had been collected during the day before it was taken to the safe upstairs, where all the real bookkeeping was done. The room only had a small desk and two metal folding chairs.
Jamie opened the door and waited for Marlene and Mr. Brown to enter before squeezing through, closing it behind him. Marlene had taken the first folding chair next to the desk while Mr. Brown took the same kind of chair in front of the miniscule desk.
“Let me start off by saying my condolences to you both. I know what a loss it must be in losing a parent and grandparent.” He reached inside his jacket and pulled out two bundles of papers, the outer pages blue. Mr. Brown laid one packet on the desk and unfolded the first.
“This is the Last Will and Testament of your father, Mrs. Meadows—”
Marlene said haughtily, lifting her chin, “My name is no longer Mrs. Meadows. It is Mrs. Sloane. Mrs. Barton Sloane.”
“Since when?” Jamie asked, not at all surprised.
“It has been for some time now.” Marlene said, patting her hair.
Jamie laughed. “It wasn’t two years ago. My, my, you do get around, don’t you Mother?”
“Never mind that now.” Marlene looked intently at Glenn Brown. “As you were saying, Mr. Brown?”
The attorney cleared his throat. “The Will of Mr. Solan Puckett left everything to Mattie Mae Puckett, if she were living. There was a life insurance policy that was paid out and Mr. Jackson of Planters Credit Union oversaw that. Any questions regarding the life insurance should be directed to him. That takes care of Mr. Puckett’s business with the law firm.
It was me that updated this Last Will and Testament nineteen months ago. ”
Jamie nodded that he understood. Marlene however held her hand out for the document; she likely wanted to read it for herself. Mr. Brown handed it over without question.
“Now, for Mrs. Mattie Mae Puckett, she updated her Last Will and Testament around nine weeks ago.” The attorney pushed his glasses further up his nose before unfolding the pages.
“This document is quite detailed and contains her last wishes. The funeral arrangements had already been given and followed through by Martin’s Funeral Home and paid for.
There was no question that it is, or was, precisely what she wanted. ”
“Ah,” Jamie said nodding. “That makes more sense now.”
Marlene looked at Jamie over her shoulder. “What does that mean?”
“It means Mother that everything was already done by the time I got here. I didn’t have a thing to do with any arrangements whatsoever. It also means that it’s the reason why and how it happened so quickly.”
Marlene went back to reading her father’s will.
“Moving on,” Mr. Brown folded back the first page.
“For Mrs. Marlene Carolyn Meadows, now... Sloane, Mrs. Mattie Mae Puckett bequeaths,” he said nodding to Marlene, again clearing his throat, “She is to have possession of all the artwork in the dining room of the diner and all artwork in the apartment above said diner, but not the photo, dollar bill, or newspaper clipping behind the cash register. They are to remain with the diner.”
“What?” Marlene was out of her chair in a split second, still holding her father’s will. “That crap? It’s worth nothing. Every bit of it is dime-store junk!”
“Mrs. Meadows... Sloane, I am only following the wishes of your mother. You may read it for yourself if you’d like, but first, may I please continue with the rest of it? I can even make sure you have a copy if you’d like.”
Marlene sat, not even pretending to read her own father’s will any longer.
“Very well.” Mr. Brown again pushed his glasses into place. “All other property, possessions, including any and all monies are to be left to her grandson—”
Marlene stood once again. “This is outrageous! I will contest!”
“That is definitely your prerogative, Mrs. Meadows, sorry, Sloane. However, I must tell you, that this Last Will and Testament of your mothers is pretty ironclad as she wanted, and I have to go by what my clients want. I am sure you understand. You were mentioned in the will, and you did receive what your mother wanted you to have. Seeing as you haven’t seen your mother is over eleven years, you would have a very hard time having this overturned,” he said as he tapped the document in front of him. “Shall I continue?”
When Marlene said nothing, her hands clenched, a look of hatred written on her face, Mr. Brown continued, “All other property, possessions, including any and all monies are to be bequeathed to her grandson, Jamie Pierre Puckett Throneaux.”
Jamie looked at Marlene and had to laugh. The look on her face was priceless. “Did you not think that I would find out eventually, dear Mon Mère?” Marlene sat there with her mouth open, eyes wide.
“Oh yes, I know Jean-Claude Throneaux is my father. I’ve met him numerous times now.
I’ve been to visit him in Paris, and he has visited me as well.
” Jamie leaned over slightly. “I would also like you to know that he has never spoken an ill word against you, even though you refused him visitation to get to know his own son. I am fairly certain that is one of the reasons why you pushed me off onto Mamaw and Papaw, not to mention I was only in the way of your new family.” He stood erect.
“By the way, how is my dear half-sister, Charlotte?”