Chapter 3 - Tears Dry On Their Own Part1
"You and I go hard
At each other like we're going to war
You and I go rough
We keep throwing things and slamming the doors
You and I get so
Damn dysfunctional we stop keeping score
You and I get sick
Yeah, I know that we can't do this no more, yeah"
Maroon 5 - One More Night
" I don't think you knew, but Jebediah had a degenerative disease that attacked his heart system. The cause of death, as you may know, was a cardiac arrest.
We had left the cemetery almost an hour ago and had gone straight to the lawyer's office. We were sitting me, Debbie, Tessa, my mom and Alice, Vincent and John were standing near the lawyer's desk.
" He asked me to draft the will about two years ago. " Patrick stood up and picked up by the wall an envelope made of some dark paper. " As you can see, the document is sealed and I will open it in the presence of you. " He says back to sit down. Patrick Farmiga is a middle-aged man with gray hair and striking green eyes that make his look frightening. Somehow, it reminds me of Jebediah. "Each one will receive a notarized copy, any doubt will be resolved at the end of the reading, if there are any left.
The man breaks the seal of the envelope and from inside takes out a cake of papers, he separates them into seven parts and proceeds to call one by one. Jebe's signature is on the first page of every document. Next to his signature, there is a space where we must sign. After everyone presents, except my mother and Patrick, have signed, he gathers the papers and puts them away in another folder.
" Now that all the parties have received their copies, I will begin reading. " Patrick looks at everyone and clears his throat. " Page number one.
"I, Jebediah Christopher Kross, American, widower, resident in the U.S. state of New York in the Manhattan district at 432 Park Avenue. Being in perfect judgment and in full enjoyment of my intellectual faculties, free from any inducement or coercion, I resolve to draw up the present private will in which I declare my last will, in the following form and manner:
1- To Alice Jones and Vincent Lucca. For the years of service rendered, as well as for the friendship and companionship they offered me during all these years. I dispose to Alice of the Albany estate. Vincent leaves Hudson's house along with the boats in it. To the couple I leave the value of 100 thousand dollars that must be divided between the two.
I would like to thank both of you for your services to me and I hope that you will continue this work for my next heirs.
2- To Miranda Hernandez Hills, my dear niece, I leave 2.5% of my shares in Empire Kross, in addition to the property in Austin, Texas, beyond the value of 100 thousand dollars. Joining the 2.5% you already own with the 2.5% I leave you, you own 5% of Empire, make good use of everything, my little miracle.
3- To Tessa Lookword Whiter, my kind receptionist, I leave the apartment on 54th Street, as well as $50,000 and one of my cars of your choice. Thank you for the years of work and dedication, as well as the friendship with my dear Marilyn.
4- To Debbie Callaway Summers, my faithful friend and confidant, I leave the properties of Vermont, Hoboken and Washington, in addition to 2.5% of my shares, which along with the 2.5% that my wife left her, total 5%, as well as the value of 500,000 and the position of editor-in-chief of Empire Kross for life. Thank you for being good and loyal to me for so long.
5 – For John Frederick Hills Kross, my son, is by right the owner of 50% of everything that belongs to me, I also leave 45% of Empire Kross, in addition to 50% of all my monetary assets. Which, as of the writing of this will, is totaling $25 billion.
To Marilyn Ella Monroe, my beloved secretary. I leave the remaining 45% of Empire Kross, plus the other 50% of all my monetary assets. Which, as of the writing of this will, is totaling $25 billion.
John and Marilyn, I leave you my penthouse on Park Avenue, and before you think about selling it, I establish the first term of my will.
5.1- The parties can only have full access to their inherited assets if they agree to share the coverage for a period of one year. Both of you will have to live together, and if one of you moves before the deadline of one year, the quitter will have to sign a contract renouncing all his due share, and this in turn, will be destined in a totalitarian way to the other involved in this contract signed from now on.
5.2- Marilyn will have the right to choose her part of the apartment, not worth disputes about it, John can choose later.
5.3- The two parties will share the board of the magazine, if the decision taken by one of you is accepted by the board, the decision will be valid even with the opposition of the other.
5.4- Being aware that this role has legal value, which makes it effective after its reading, it is recommended that the parties take possession of all the goods within two days, without delay. The clause contained in paragraph 5.1 of this agreement shall come into force automatically.
6- I try in view of everything specified herein, I warn the parties that this will should not be contested, on penalty of instant loss of inherited possessions. This is applied to all heirs, if one proves to be opposed to this decision and legally decides to contest it, everyone will lose everything and the assets will be donated to charities defined by the responsible lawyer.
I would like to thank everyone and leave my last will to be made, I hope you will accept it, because I did it thinking of everyone I love. "My children" and friends, I am asleep with the Lord and very lucky to be with my beloved. You must continue all that I have fought to create, Marilyn and John, you are my legacy, and I know that together you can make an Empire Kross bigger and much better.
New York, March 27, 2015
Jebediah Kross
Witness 1: Patrick Farmiga - Lead Counsel - Callaway Advocacy
Witness 2: Evangelina Fallows - Minority Attorney - Callaway Advocacy
Testador: Jebediah Christopher Kross"
" That was the disposition of goods that Jebediah left ploughed, does anyone have any doubts? " Patrick asks, right after reading the entire will. Silence dominates the office. After a few moments of rereading the paper, I lift my gaze to John. He stares at me like he's holding himself back so he doesn't do something bad.
" The old man really wanted to finish me off. " John says smiling. "So I have to share the apartment with my dad's luxury doll and I can't even complain about it?
"I'm not your father's 'doll' or anyone's. " I speak to my feet. "So that's what he was doing on the 28th? Talking to you about it? Had he changed the will to leave me part of the company and his money, Patrick?
"He changed the will himself, but not in the way you're thinking, Marilyn." The old lawyer speaks.
"How has he changed? Did he put me in the will that day? I ask, staring at the man.
" No, he had left the whole company to you and the money to John, but he chose to change everything and add things to the will. " Patrick looks at John. " He was afraid John would lose all the money and tarnish the name of the magazine.
"I understand." I speak looking at Debbie. She watches John, who is standing in front of Patrick's desk.
" So Jebediah was going to leave the company he and my mother created for her? " He questions angrily. "Was he going to leave my mother's dream to his fat escort and leave me just the money?
"John, if you keep saying this kind of thing about your father and Marilyn, I will file a libel and defamation lawsuit against you myself." Patrick says calmly. "Her father had her as a daughter. A daughter who took care of him in place of the son who decided to roast his mother's inheritance with women and drinks, he just wouldn't leave everything to her because the law dictates that he leave half of his assets to his son, otherwise you would end up in misery. " When Patrick falls silent, the room plunges into a new silence until John punches the lawyer's desk, who doesn't even flinch. " I will send a copy to Miss Hills and as stated in the contract, Marilyn and John, you have two days to take possession of the penthouse. Marilyn, remember that the apartment you live in happens to be owned by Miss Whiter, so I recommend that you leave as soon as possible. To the heirs, I leave my congratulations, Marilyn and John, I hope you have a good coexistence in the penthouse and I put myself at your disposal.
"Thank you, Patrick." I speak before grabbing my bag and leaving the room, leaving my mother and friends behind. I needed to breathe and they weren't going to help me much to think about that moment.
Patrick's office wasn't too far from Central Park, where I'd been sitting for almost an hour. I knew Jebe did it well, but he must not have thought about the consequences it would cause. I had known Jebe for 10 years. About a year later, I met his son John. At first, I confess, I ended up falling in love with him, since he hated me for being the example of perfection that Jebediah hoped to find in him, but John did not understand that his father just wanted him to have the same love and commitment for the magazine that I had. When John decided to move to Paris to learn more about the magazine, Jebe thought his son was finally going the right way, but after only three days a picture of John clinging to a model appeared in magazines and gossip sites around the world. Jebe suffered a lot back then, besides making a point of telling me that John was noxious and that I should stay away from his bad influence, now throws me on a silver platter in the lion's den.
After much thought, I get up and walk out of the park, I pass by a stall where I buy a bag of sweet popcorn, a little sugar will not hinder me, after all from today I have even bigger problems than my weight.