Chapter 31
Vee
Any apprehension I felt melted at the sight of both ladies’ smiles. There were too many things on my mind to be able to narrow down what they were happy about. I walked to the table and stood by my chair. “Please, one of you spill. What’s this about?”
Cammy looked at Trish and Trish back to Cammy.
Cammy was the one to speak first. “Vee, a few months ago, Trish requested a separation order, to separate the Coopers from Reid’s estate.”
The memory was foggy. One blip on the radar during three months filled with threatening flare-ups. “I remember that.” I turned to Trish with wide eyes. “The judge granted it?”
“Yes,” Trish said, “and at first, no.”
I shook my head and took the seat. “I don’t understand.”
“Originally,” Trish said, “the judge rejected my request. I didn’t tell you because I planned to fight, to appeal.”
“To appeal,” Cammy tapped in, “you need valid legal grounds.”
“Do we have those?” I asked.
“Back around the time Trish requested the separation order,” Cammy said, “I found documents from about six years ago that hinted toward the creation of a trust. Every avenue I found came to a dead end. I even went to Joseph Eads. I figured if Reid had a trust created, he would go to his attorney.”
“What did Joe say?”
Trish shook her head. “He denied that a trust existed, which left four options. One, the trust was never created. Two, Joseph Eads was lying—”
“Which is grounds for disbarment,” Cammy interjected.
“Unless,” Trish qualified, “you’re not the beneficiary of the trust. The representative of the trust is only required by law to notify the beneficiary or heirs.”
“I’m an heir.”
“Of the trust,” Cammy explained. “Being an heir in a will isn’t the same thing.”
“Three,” Trish continued, “you’re not the beneficiary of the trust. Or four” —her smile grew— “Reid didn’t go to Joseph Eads to create the trust.”
“Then who?” I asked. “Joe has been Dad’s lawyer for as long as I can remember.”
Trish continued. “Trusts are tricky formalities. There are many good reasons to create one. And Reid Hubbard did create a trust holding everything tied to the Coopers organization.”
Tears filled my eyes. “He did? Is it me? Did he name me?”
Trish covered my hand with hers. “He named you.”
I tried unsuccessfully to blink away new tears. “What does this mean?”
“The trust is the valid legal document,” Cammy said, “for Trish to appeal the judge’s earlier dismissal. This is the same judge who ruled on Joseph Eads’s motion granting Mrs. Hubbard the right to contest the will.”
“That judge granted Mrs. Hubbard her right to contest based on the years she and Reid were married,” Trish said. “I believe that was the reason the judge didn’t want to approve separating the Coopers from Mr. Hubbard’s estate.”
“Now?”
Both of their smiles bloomed.
Trish spoke, “After I took the trust to the judge, she had no choice but to separate the Coopers from Mr. Hubbard’s estate.”
A welcome feeling of joy flooded my circulation. “And the trust says Maeve Hubbard, not child or children?”
Both ladies smiled.
“Yes,” Cammy said, “the trust has your name and your name only, Maeve Mary Hubbard.”
“Can Bre fight this?” I asked. “If she finds out the will said children.”
“In most cases,” Trish replied, “a trust takes precedence over a will. In essence, the trust owns the Coopers. A trust is also not subject to probate.” She beamed at me. “The trust gives the entire Cooper organization to you and you alone.”
“Thank you.” My tears were now steadily dripping down my cheeks. I brought my hands to my heart. “This is such a relief.”
“When the owner of a revocable trust dies, the trust can no longer be changed,” Trish said.
Cammy leaned toward me. “I’ve worked with Reid and Joe Eads for many years. Do you have any idea why your father would go to outside counsel for the creation of a trust worth billions of dollars?”
Inhaling, I shrugged. The answer on the tip of my tongue was that Dad found out Joe was screwing Daphne, but I couldn’t prove that accusation. “I don’t know.” I furrowed my brow. “How did you find it?”
“When the grantor of a trust dies,” Trish said, “the successor trustee, which in this case is Jerry Woodard, attorney at law in Lexington, is legally responsible for notifying interested parties—you.” She smiled and reached for her lunch.
“Esquire Woodard contacted me late last week. He contacted Joseph Eads’s office and was told that Mr. Eads was no longer your representation.
Mr. Eads’s assistant told Mr. Woodard to contact me. ”
“I’m…” The words weren’t coming. “I’m just so happy.” I reached for my lunch and then pushed my chair away from the table and stood. “It’s official: I am the sole owner of the Lexington Coopers.”
Trish nodded. “I’ve filed the paperwork appealing the separation with the court.
I learned late last Friday that the separation had been granted.
It’ll take time to fully separate your father’s estate from the franchise.
But the process is underway.” She tilted her head.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled your father took this extra step.
It’s just odd that he did it without Mr. Eads’s knowledge or the knowledge of Coopers’ legal.
It’s odd he chose some small-time attorney to handle such an enormous investment. ”
“Trish,” I said, “I’m constantly learning more and more about my father, things I never imagined.” My smile stayed upright. “I guess he foresaw the possibility of problems and wanted to get ahead of them.”
“Just so you know,” Trish said, “as Mrs. Hubbard’s counsel, Joseph Eads will be notified of the trust and the separation.
In case he comes your way, I want you to know that every i is dotted and every t is crossed.
He may bluster, but don’t worry. You, Ms. Maeve Hubbard, are the one and true owner of the Coopers. ”
“I can’t explain how this makes me feel.” I had a thought. “Will Bre be notified?”
Trish pursed her lips. “Only if she’s made a claim against Mr. Hubbard’s estate. I haven’t been notified of that.”
“Fuck the estate,” I said with glee. “Divide it between whomever.” I wrapped my arms around my own shoulders. “The Coopers are mine.”
I wanted to tell Fin.
Trish, Cammy, and I talked as we ate our lunches.
The uncertainty of ownership had weighed me down more than I realized, more than I could imagine.
The unspoken fears of Daphne or Bre taking part of the team and selling it were a thing of my nightmares.
Sharing control with an infant was insanity.
My own family battling for control based on an unsigned will kept me awake at night.
In the course of a thirty-minute conversation, my shoulders felt lighter.
This new clarity was far from a fix all.
There were still going to be battles within my family. Dad had fought more of those than I realized. The unveiling of certain family secrets will either make us stronger or tear us apart. I hoped for the former.
I also had someone sending threatening notes with beautiful roses. The dichotomy was difficult to conceptualize.
As we finished our lunch meeting, I hugged both Cammy and Trish. “Thank you for working so hard when I was swamped with other things. I owe you both.”
Trish winked. “Oh Vee, you will get my bill.” Her smile grew.
“Honestly, in this profession a win such as this is more than satisfying. I believe your father wanted you and you alone to own the Coopers franchise. Not only did he not sign the alternative will, he went out of his way with the trust to assure that the Coopers wouldn’t go to anyone else. ”
That made me think. “What would have happened if he had signed the new will?”
“As we said,” Cammy replied, “in most cases a trust takes precedence over a will.”
“I’ve heard multiple theories on why Dad didn’t sign the will.
I guess I’ll never know for sure. However,” I thought out loud, “if Dad knew the Coopers would go to me even if he signed the new will, I would guess the variable Dad was trying to decide was if Daphne would inherit part of his estate or Bre.”
Cammy shrugged. “We’ll never know.”
“Thank you for everything.”
After they both left, I brushed my teeth. In the mirror over the vanity, I somehow looked different. “The Coopers are mine,” I said to myself. Standing taller, I stared into my own eyes. “You are officially and permanently the owner of the Lexington Coopers.”
A ringing chime came from my computer.
It was time for my first Zoom with my directors of stadium operations.