Alex Morton

"I'm sure it's more complicated than that," she said.

"It is, but I live in a community of other vets. All of us are heavily armed and have episodes, so It's to our benefit to recognize the symptoms and deal with them early. But you know, when you struggle for survival in a harsh environment, there is less time to think about yourself or the past," Alex explained. "It makes it somehow easier."

"So about the leg, is it comfortable?" Lucy asked.

"No, but it makes life easier, so I deal with it. It takes a lot of planning to be an amputee," Alex said. "At least if you live my lifestyle."

"I can only imagine," Lucy said.

They spent a moment in silence, then Luther came onto the concrete patio.

"You two are up early," he said. "Lucy usually sleeps till noon after a night of partying."

"Maybe there wasn't a good party last night," Alex suggested trying to close the subject. It didn't seem to be appropriate to discuss parties at that moment. After all they would be attending a memorial service for his mother within a few hours.

Lucy recognized his motive and didn't rise to Luther's bait. "So you guys want to go out and eat breakfast again?" she asked.

"I'm game let me take a shower first, then I'll be right as rain," Alex said.

"I think I'll stay here and do some work. The office send me some overnight email. I need to look at before tomorrow." Luther said.

So breakfast was just Alex and Lucy. Since she allowed Alex to choose, he chose a roadside diner where back in the day his father had met his friends before golf.

"The place hasn't changed much, Alex said.

"I think the walls were a different shade of green when we were young," Lucy said.

"No they just have more smoke and grease on them now." Alex said with a laugh.

"You could be right. The food is still good. At least they still cook their eggs in grease. Even the scrambled eggs are greasy," Lucy said.

They returned home after the breakfast to pass the time until 1pm. The plan was to leave for the memorial service at one. It was being held at the wall where his father's ashes were interred. Alex really hated the memories the day was certain to drag up. It had already begun with breakfast at the diner on the side of the road.

Alex passed the time running his childhood through his mind like an old VHS tape. It, like an old tape, was filled with stops and starts as well as blank spaces. Still it did pass the time.

An hour before he service Lucy knocked on his door. "I'm not very good at this but I'm sure I'm better than the last person who cut your hair. I wish it were still a little damp from your shower but I suppose I can manage." She said with a smile.

Alex decided to humor her. His answer of "have at it," wasn't spoken with a lot of enthusiasm, but then again he had agreed.

After all the snipping he endured, he had to admit it did look better. After she left he changed from his heavy twill work pants to his fancy new suit. One of the really hard things was making store bought shoes fit over the ball at the end of his peg leg. Alex filled the toe of the shoe with a wash cloth to make it fit better.

The three of them were driven to the memorial garden by a big black limo. Alex was not happy about that. It brought back memories of his father's death.

Alex's father had a stroke when Alex was a junior in high school. He lingered at home for two years before he finally passed. Alex had a feeling it was why his mother didn't want to die a protracted death by having cancer eating her alive. Everyone had decided on a conspiracy of silence surrounding the details of her death. He was also good with that.

Those were his though as people droned on about his mother. Most of them were fellow business owners, or employees. Some of the country club set showed up to pay their respects. Alex wondered how much any of the people standing around really cared for the outspoken woman. His mother tended to stay clear of any entanglements after he husband passed, so she had few friends. Everyone thought of her as cold and calculating. Alex couldn't say they were wrong, since when he turned eighteen, she packed him off for college. He never returned home for more than a short visit after that. Even though he stopped for a visit on his deployment leave, on h is way to Iraq, it hadn't felt like home.

He was never the same after that deployment and he could never go home again and pretend that he was. His mother came to the lodge as a guest every summer for the entire five years he lived there. She always brought him a box of candy. She never knew he gave it away. Taking his mom fishing had been enjoyable. They spent hours alone on the lake. They never seemed to find the words to discuss his early life.

"Alexander, please come home and allow me to take care of you," she would beg at the end of the first couple of trips.

The visits became more enjoyable when she finally accepted that he wasn't going to come home. After that she kept him filled in on the other kids and even some of his old friends.

They learned to accept each other during those last three years. She even visited him the last summer of her life. He realized that it was her last summer. She was thin and looked like death. They had some private time to say goodbye before she went home to find a way to finish cleaning up her life. Then after Christmas that same year she passed. Alex had expected that it would have been even sooner.

One of the things that surprised him was that she clung to him before the lodge car carried her to the airport. They both knew it was the last time they would be together. The thing that surprised Alex was that she kept saying how sorry she was. Sorry that she hadn't there for him. She apologized, but made no excuses. Alex comforted her as best he could. Her saying that brought back some terrible memories.

The last of the speakers finished shortly after Alex shook his head to clear the memories. He tried to listen to the woman, who was a member of congress. Her final words were that Alex's mother would be missed.

Luther approach Alex after the memorial service. "Alex I know this sounds harsh, but you have made it obvious you don't want to be here, so I have arranged for the lawyer to meet us this afternoon." Luther said.

"Well, that's very efficient of you," Alex said sarcastically.

"Bullshit, don't try to make me feel guilty. You can't wait to get away from here, and I need to get back to work. Unlike you I have responsibilities."

Lucy had wandered up when she saw them arguing. Luther is right this time. You can stay as long as you like, but I need to get back," she said.

"Alright, I will do along with this, but I would never have done it this way," Alex agreed.

On the way to the limo Alex was stopped by a woman somewhere near his age. "Do you remember me. My name was Gina Sloane, and this little man is Eddie Sloane." she said obviously referring to a boy about seven or eight with her shocking red hair.

"Of course Gina how are you," Alex asked. "The little guy with you has to be your son."

"Can't mistake him for a neighbor kid can you," she said. "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your mom. I didn't know her well, but she seemed like a nice woman. I do know she worried a lot about you,"

"Thank you Gina, I'm sure mom would have appreciated your good opinion of her." Lucy said in a cold voice.

Alex shot a seriously nasty look at his sister. "Thank you for coming Gina. You didn't have to. I know mom would have been happy to know that you remember her kindly."

The limo drove them home. They sat on the sun porch drinking coffee to pass the necessary half an hour before the meeting with the lawyer. The mood was combative, so mostly the three of them sat in silence.

"I'll driver," Luther said. "I have the larger car."

"Why don't we both drive," Lucy suggested.

"Fine, you always have to have your way," Luther replied.

"She's a woman. It's better to just give in and save your strength for the real battle," Alex suggested.

"Since you have the big car, I'll ride with you Luther," Alex said.

"Sure," Luther replied.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride with us?" Alex asked. "You can have shotgun."

"Oh hell alright. I'm only doing this because Luther is such a lousy driver. Someone has to tell him what to do, or he will kill you both.."

"Screw you Lucy," Luther said.

"Oh my, now you do not want to go there," Lucy said sharply.

For the first time Alex cataloged Lucy's appearance. She was about five and a half feet tall, and she was also dancer thin. Looking at her objectively she was very close to being very attractive. If she wasn't his sister, Alex would have dated her.

"Do I pass inspection?" she asked. She had obviously caught Alex checking her out.

"But of course," Alex said. "You could probably use a bigger set of boobs."

"Dancers don't have big boob hon," Lucy said.

"Then I suppose you are perfect," Luther said with a chuckle.

"Enough of this not so friendly banter, let's go," Lucy said.

Since his front door was locked, they waited for the lawyer in his parking lot. He was part of a larger firm who occupied a complete building in an office park.

"You must be the Morton family, I'm Thomas Wilson. I represent your mother's estate." the older man suggested.

"I'm Luther, this is my sister Lucy, and the skinny guy there is my younger brother Alex."

"Well come on in and we can take care of this," he said. "I can make some coffee if you like. It comes in those per-measured packs, so not even I can mess it up," Thomas said.

Luther started to say don't bother but Alex said, "Sure that would be fine. Lucy there is an expert coffee maker. Why don't we let her do the honors."

Lucy gave Alex a hard look but she said, "Sure I can handle one of these."

Alex could tell that the delay was making Luther crazy. Lucy appeared to think that Luther's discomfort was payment enough for her coffee making service.

"Can we get started now?" Luther asked when everyone had a cup of coffee.

"Sure," the lawyer said. "So do you want the full 'here to' and 'forth with' reading or will a simple explanation of the terms do?"

"Give us anything Mom wanted to tell us first," Alex suggested. "It wouldn't be like her not to have the last word."

"Good," The lawyer said. "There is one paragraph she wrote herself.

Since I believe people should know where their food comes from and none of you with the exception of Alex, who knows all too well where his food comes from these days, I decided this was a good time for you to learn. So some of the provisions in my will might sound strange, but trust me I have given them all serious thought. So please remember I love you all, and am trying to make you better people."

"What is that all about," Lucy asked.

"It's about you working at the business that your mom and dad built," The lawyer said.

"It's nice that mom wanted us to know what she did, but I have a career and can't just pack my tent start working in the family business." Lucy said.

"That is up to you. The alternative to you kids working in your mother's company, is to have it all sold. Sold for whatever it will bring on the open market. The proceeds are to be donated to the a charity for the aid of wounded veterans. I help with those things the Government won't provide.

"That doesn't include our trust fund from dad does it," Lucy asked.

"Lucy there was never any trust fund. Mom just subsidized your life. You were working at something you loved, and weren't any trouble to her, so she sent you the checks," Luther said. "Do I lose control of the investment portfolio, if I don't take over the business?"

"Yes and no, the investment portfolio is gone as of 9am tomorrow. Also you wont be taking over the business. You see your mother felt that Alexander was the only one of you who understood how it all worked," Thomas said.

"That's ridiculous, he knows nothing about investments," Luther said.

"When you go to work tomorrow you will find an order on your desk to liquidate the investment portfolio of your family. The business has operating capital but the Investment portfolio is to be sold and the total proceeds will go to a foundation for disabled veterans. If you fight that you will lose, and the bad publicity will follow you into the family business." Thomas said.

"You are going to have to let one of the others run the company, I'm headed back to Maine on tomorrow's plane," Alex stated emphatically.

"That is certainly your right. However if you do, or if any of you refuse to participate in the business, I am authorized to liquidate everything and make the donations. You will not get another penny from the estate. Your mother was most adamant."

Alex's first reaction was Thomas had to be kidding. The second reaction was what do I care if they have to earn their own way in the world. It was probably what his mother was hoping he would do.

"Your mom said to give you 48hrs to decide. So Tuesday by close of business I will expect a decision." The lawyer advised them.

"I want a copy of that will. I'm going to have my own attorney look it over," Luther said.

"Sir is there an outline of the business. I'm afraid we know nothing about it. Which is probably why mother wanted us to find out?" Lucy asked.

"What about you Alex," Luther asked. "You are going to stay till we get it worked out, aren't you?"

'Why should I," Alex asked.

"You heard him, If we aren't all involved in the company, we lose everything." Luther said.

"Luther none of us need the money. You keep telling everyone how successful you are. You will be fine," Alex said.

It isn't that simple. Most of the money I managed was Mom and Dad's. If the liquidate order can't be stopped, I am screwed."

"I sure as hell can't live on the salary as a part time dance instructor, Lucy said.

"I have absolutely not desire to live here again," Alex said.

"I realize that, but you can't let us down, after all we are family. Please save us all." Lucy begged.

"We have forty-eight hours, I'll give Luther and his lawyer a chance to work something out," Alex said

"Just so you know, Mom told me she bought the lodge to be sure you always had some backup. If they liquidate our holdings the lodge goes. The new owner could be hot to get rid of those crazy vets. You might own your cabin but I'm not so sure about those other guys," Luther said.

"Like I said, I'll give your lawyers a chance," Alex said.

After Luther left to call his lawyer at home, Alex asked, "Did you find it strange that Luther didn't bring his family?"

"Jessica and Luther only stayed married because momma wanted access to the grand kids. They probably have the divorce papers in the lawyer's office now. As for Luther's lawyer breaking the conditions of the will, it ain't gonna happen. Momma wouldn't buy a stamp till she researched it to death. Thomas might look like a country lawyer, but he is going to be the best lawyer money can buy."

"Well Lucy, I guess I better go buy some more clothes, since it looks as though I will be here a week or so longer. I will not be here any longer than that."

Alex was a patient man. You learn that living in the Northwoods. Should he be away more than a week or two he would have to arrange to give his food to one of the other Vets. He didn't want it to go to waste.

Alex knew that Lucy and Luther had whispered conferences all Sunday night. Each time he went downstairs to pick up another cup of bad coffee, made in the Mr. Coffee type brew machine, they stopped talking all together. He knew they were plotting but there was nothing he wanted to do about it.

Luther had come back from his lawyer's office Sunday evening with what he considered bad news. His lawyer said there was no time to stop the liquidation order. His mother had been of sound mind at the time made the decision, so it was going to stick.

Not to mention the lawyer advised him that he would have to have all the people named in the will sign on to the suit and agree to assume the liability for the law suit. In other words, he was likely to lose, he would be responsible for all the heavy cost of the law suit. Even worse for him, he would need Alexander and Lucille to sign on to the action. He knew why his mother had decided to make the donation to Wounded Warriors. He knew that Alex would never object to it.

While he and Lucille spoke quietly for the most part, one of both of them could be heard raising their voice now and then. Alex ignored them as best he could. He was beginning to be get a little paranoid though.

Alex started his day Monday by making coffee in a sauce pan. He made only four cups, since he knew the others were fine with the brew master type machine's swill. He chose to put on his down filled coat to sit by the pool again. The sun was barely above the horizon, but Alex had learned to accept the cold air, at least for a bit. Without doing some real work to raise his core temperature, he was risking hypothermia but he knew when to go inside.

That morning he made it about half an hour, but he couldn't stay out long enough for the sun to came up. The sun would have made it almost pleasant. He knew that it would likely be in the single digits in Maine's Northwoods that morning.

Alex sat in the glassed walled sun room with just a minimal amount of heat, while he watched for any signs of wildlife. He missed the forest critters already. He was still looking out of the one hundred and eighty degree glass panels when he heard the front door open and close. He wondered which of the siblings was out so early on a Monday morning.

"So was that Luther going out, or you coming home?" he asked Lucy as a joke.

"It was Luther. He went into the office to face the consequences of Mother's liquidation order. I told him that he better not skim any, since the lawyer mom hired was for sure going to check. He will get a fee since he is doing the liquidating." Lucy said.

"Luther is smart enough to find a way to get his share and more. When you get him alone, tell him not to ever let me find out that he took money from injured soldiers," Alex said.

"I already told him that. It will be hard for him to do any skimming, but like you said I trust him to find a way," Lucy agreed. "So what have you decided."

"I have decided that if I only stay a week, I need more clothes and the banks will be open in an hour. I can find a branch of the bank that has my pension account, so I can pay for my own stuff this time," Alex replied. "So do you have a class this morning?"

"No classes until 3pm. The life of an assistant dance instructor at the school of the arts is not a hard one." Lucy informed him.

"So can I hired the Lucy Morton Taxi service?" Alex asked. "Or should I arrange for a rental car. The pegleg is on my left side so I can drive and unmodified rental.

"No way am I going to allow you to drive in this traffic alone. So yes the taxi is at your service, but it will cost you. Lunch with Luther at the downtown club," she insisted.

"Do I need to mortgage my cabin to pay for a lunch there?" He asked knowing The Downtown Club was known as a members only, power lunch club.

No, we can put it on the family account. I'm sure that the lawyer hasn't got around to settling every single one of mom's accounts," Lucy suggested.

"If you haven't eaten there in a month, I bet you the account has been closed and settled," Alex said. "Hell they might not let us in."

"Oh I'm sure we can get in even, if we have to pay for the meal," Lucy said. "Besides that dick Luther is a member in his own right."

"Are you a member?" Alex asked.

"No, but if Luther isn't there, you have pull," Lucy said. "Just you wait and see. They have dropped the coat and tie requirements, but those mountain man pants won't do. But you said you needed clothes anyway."