A Second Income

She and Jerry had to make the funeral arrangements after Pat's sons declined saying they were too busy and on the other side of the country. She tried to keep an open mind about them as Pat had never said a negative word, but their coldness and lack of sorrow bothered her.

After the ceremony and as the mourners slowly went out, Julie stood over the open casket, shedding a few more tears. She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead and whispered, "Say hi to Evelyn for me."

She went outside to a glorious day thinking Pat would have told her to open the window and let spring in. She saw Pat's two boys talking to each other and went over, "I'm sorry for your loss. Your father will be missed," she said.

The two boys looked curiously at her, one nodded, and the taller said, "Ok. Thanks." He then turned back to his brother as if Julie had interrupted them.

Julie walked away as the man continued, "So, 1.5? That sounds about right. We'll need to pay someone to come in and go through all his crap, though there might be something of value there."

* * *

Julie opened the official-looking envelope from a legal firm downtown curious as to what this would have to do with her. Pat's will. She was one of three people requested at the offices of...

She and Jerry dressed in black feeling it was suitable for a will reading. Jerry wore a nicely pressed suit with a deep blue tie. Julie had a formal dress she'd had for a few years, unsure why she'd bought it, but it was perfect. Neither had even been to a will reading but anything else felt disrespectful.

They were escorted into the conference room where an elderly man she recognized from the funeral and his female assistant were sitting.

The woman stood and came around, "Hello. Can I say I'm sorry I am, we are for your loss? I know how close he was to you. He said nothing but wonderful things about how much he valued your friendship. I'm Rose Taylor and this gentleman over here is Patrick's Lawyer and oldest friend, William Packer."

William had stood up, shaking their hands, "Pat and I served in the 101st Airborne together. He was my Captain, and I was his Staff Sergeant. Saved my life, twice," he said sadly. "I feel like part of me died when he died," he sighed. "Please sit. Water?" he asked.

Julie sat and looked at the man, "Water, please. And please, let me say I'm sorry for your loss. Pat was the most decent man I've ever met. You were lucky to have known him for so many years."

William nodded, "Thanks. He and Evelyn were over so many times. My wife Susan and Evelyn would be in the backyard, and Pat and I'd be playing pool. I miss those days." He turned to Rose, "Did they say they'd be delayed?"

"No sir. I'll go give them a call," she started to stand.

William shook his head. "No, let's give them a few." His interactions with the sons made him feel no urgency for them to arrive.

20 minutes late, Terry and Drew Wallace came in with their wives, or at least Julie assumed that's who they were. One wore a brightly flowered summer dress, the other had yoga pants and a tight tee shirt showing her impressively enhanced breasts. Both Pat's sons had on jeans and pastel-colored polo shirts. None of the four looked like they were grieving. They all sat on one side across from Rose, Jerry, and Julie. They seemed to be studying Jerry and Julie as if wondering why they were there.

William looked around the table, then pointed to the two corners near the ceiling, "We will be recording this both on video and we'll have a transcript typed up," he tapped the recorder on the conference table. "Please, if you want copies Rose will have them for you." Then he opened the folder and began to read.

As William read the Last Will and Testament boilerplate lines the boys and their wives looked impatient..."and I direct all my debts to be paid directly..." Then he went through more of the formalities.

The four sat forward as William finished with Pat assigning William Packer as personal representative and paused. "I hereby bequeath, my property both real and personal as follows." William paused and looked at the six faces. The two boys and their wives were looking eager, almost drooling. He thought they looked like vultures. He looked over at Jerry and Julie who were looking dismayed at Pat's children but otherwise just sitting looking mildly interested.

"Go on, damn! The suspense is killing us," the older boy said.

William nodded, "my apologies. To my two sons, Terrence and Drew Wallace, whose Social Security numbers end in...I bequeath $50 each. It is with..."

"Wait, what? the four cried as they stood, "What the fuck?" Terry yelled as he lunged for the paper.

William slid calmly back in his chair and then stood, "Sit down now! This is a legal reading and you will sit quietly and listen or Rose will summon security. Am I clear?" he said in a voice that demanded compliance.

The four sat down but were glaring daggers at the man and then one by one as they came to the realization, at Julie and Jerry. One of them mumbled, "We'll be contacting a lawyer, a real lawyer, but finish with this charade."

William glared at the four, then sat back down, "I'll continue where I left off, It is with deep regret that I feel the need to exclude my own flesh and blood from my will, but without listing the events, not once did they come to see me, phone me or assist in any way during personal crises. Now, to Julie Sanders, whose Social Security number ends in...I bequeath all my other earthly possessions with the hope with her incredible heart she will make the best use of them. Signed, Patrick McKenzie Wallace," he finished.

Julie and Jerry sat in stunned silence, their mouths open as if trying to say something. "I...I never expected," she looked at the two boys and back at William, "It's too much," she said softly.

"Damn right it's too much," Drew spat. "Dad was worth over 10 million and he left it to..." he waved a hand dismissively at Julie.

Terry stood and leaned over the table, fists planted as he glared at the girl. The grabbed the front of her black dress tearing it, "...to a whore! You fucked him, didn't you, fucked him so..." He flew back as Jerry's fist shattered his nose.

"You fucking touch my wife again and you'll never walk again," Jerry said angrily. He held his wife and stroked her back while the other three family members all started screaming at once.

"You assaulted my brother," "You fucker! You'll pay!" "You broke his nose!" among other things.

Rose had called security and within seconds four guards came in and grabbed the four. Rose calmly picked up the box of tissues and handed it to Terry's wife, "He might need to sop up the blood," she said trying not to smile.

"We'll sue, we'll sue to get the money that's ours and then we're going to have you arrested for assault," Drew hissed at Julie.

William shook his head, "You can try, but there are enough witnesses that saw you attack an innocent girl," he pointed at the cameras, "and there's video evidence of your assault on her." He looked at Julie, "Let me see that dress. Oh shit! It's ruined. How much would you say it cost you?" he asked.

Julie shrugged, "It's nothing, maybe $100?" She looked at the torn material. She liked this dress. It was comfortable and simple. Then she noticed the man had scratched her chest and a trickle of blood was going between her cleavage. She went to get a tissue but Rose grabbed her wrist.

"Honey, don't touch that. We will need this as evidence of his assault on you." She grabbed her phone and took pictures. "Would you like to file charges?" she asked, her phone ready to dial.

William was standing looking furious, "Please, call them. I will not have anyone physically assaulted in my office, especially as it shows incredible disrespect for the best man I ever knew."

Julie shook her head, "They might not show it, but they're grieving." She dabbed at the blood dripping down her chest, "They'll wake up one day remembering what a great father he was, and they'll feel incredible guilt knowing they abandoned him." She looked at the four, "I am sorry for your loss. I hope you come to realize that this is a great loss."

William shook his head, "Ok, it's our call, but as executor, I'm taking the $100 Patrick bequeathed these two undeserving boys and giving it to you as reparations for your dress."

Julie shook her head again, "It's fine. I have a sewing machine. Donate it to charity, perhaps a VietNam veteran's charity," she said. She turned to Jerry who was still rubbing his scraped knuckles, "Let's go." She looked at Rose and William, "Thank you. I'm a bit stunned but I'll make sure Pat will be proud of me."

"Then good luck. I hope we meet again," the lawyer said. "Oh, here." He handed Julie an envelope. "The keys to his house, though I know you have one. No one has been there since...you know," he sighed.

* * *

Julie and Jerry went over to Pat's house. It was the first time there since she followed the gurney out, locking the door behind her. It was 20 minutes before she could get past the doormat.

A half-hour later, Jerry heard sobbing and ran upstairs to Pat's office. Julie was sitting on the floor holding a letter. Jerry took it and read it.

"My dear Julie. Today marks the 2nd Anniversary of you coming into my life, albeit as a maid. But you are so much more to me than that. You are a friend, a confidant, a new family member, a rock on whom I've come to rely, and best of all an inspiration to me. I never left the house after I lost who I thought was my only love. But you taught me I can love again, I hope you know that. Please accept this gift as a small token of my affection for you. Yours, Pat Wallace." he finished.

Julie held up a check, "Read the date," she sniffled.

"May...the day after he died. You were there for two years. I'd forgotten. Holy shit!!" he said, "Nice gift." It was for $10,000. He started to tear up realizing how much Julie meant to Pat and vice versa.

The sons could not find a single lawyer who would take their case. Everyone who contacted William received a video recording with a note that simply said, "Your call."

Julie packed up all of Evelyn's possessions, all the letters she'd written to Pat and all of his to her, and shipped them to Terry without a note. Included was a letter Evelyn had written to Pat begging him to stop all the medical nonsense as she wanted her last days to be lucid and as comfortable as possible so she could just be with her love.

A year later she received a letter of apology signed by both men. They told her their actions were inexcusable and that she had been right. They both eventually realized that they'd overreacted to how dad just let their mom die without a fight as they never realized it was due to her wishes. They thought he was trying to save money on medical expenses as it was a lost cause.

Julie's novel made it to #4 on the New York Times best-seller list and both she and Jerry did not need to work, but Jerry liked his job and Julie found a new passion. She found 6 retirees in their neighborhood who needed maid service. She charged them $1/hour and went over to their houses and did 2-hour shifts every other day...no sex involved. None of them were aware they had a best-selling author scrubbing their toilets. Pat's house was converted into a homeless shelter for young women and Julie hired girls from the local college to staff it 24/7. Between working on her second novel, running the Patrick Wallace Scholarship fund, and her maid service she found she was never bored but always too busy to have sent out bills for her maid service.