When I went to hear Mr. Morrison’s will read, I found out that I would be getting a large inheritance. I was so shocked, especially since I had never met Mr. Morrison before. What was even stranger was a clause in the will that not only shocked me but also changed my life.
I was locked inside my small rented apartment by boxes. As I fell asleep, I remembered that my landlord had just told me I had to leave in two days.
With work due soon, this news was a big blow. I quickly looked at a note from school about the play I was in charge of and all the notifications on my phone.
I put my hands over my face and whispered, “This is unbelievable.” “Now what do I need to do?”
I was thinking when I heard the mail slot snap open. The mailman gave me a letter from a lawyer, which made me more afraid than excited.
“Could this be from someone?” “Where am I getting into trouble now?” I thought out loud.
I tore the package open and read what was inside. It called me to the reading of Mr. Edward Morrison’s will. A wave of confusion and surprise went through me.
“Edward Morrison?” “Who is he?” I asked myself questions. “What do I have to do with being in his will?”
Many thoughts were going through my mind. Even though I didn’t know this man, I found myself being called to a will reading for some strange reason.
I tried to calm down by telling myself, “It looks like I have no choice but to find out what this is all about.”
When I got to an old, grand house with walls covered in vines, I stopped for a moment before going inside.
I met the person who would change my life inside, in the large club room. When he saw me, he stood tall and serious, and his eyes got narrow. The air was tense, and you could feel his intense look.
“My name is James, and I’m Edward Morrison’s son,” he said from a white sofa, but he didn’t get up or shake hands. “Who are you, and how did you know my dad?”
“My name is Catherine Green,” I said, keeping my cool. “I didn’t know him.”
James’s eyes got even more narrow. “Then why are you here?”
I was shocked by how rude he was and asked myself, “How dare he address me so rudely?”
“A lawyer asked me to come,” I replied with confidence. “I want to know what’s going on just as much as you do.” To show respect for your father, who thought it was important for us to meet, you might be kind.
James clearly wasn’t happy and grunted, but he didn’t say anything.
Before anyone could say anything else, the lawyer walked in with a folder, said sorry for taking so long, and started reading the will.
The lawyer said, “Mr. Edward Morrison has left his estate to James Morrison and Catherine Green.” They must live together for one year before they can get married. If you leave early, you will lose your fortune.
James and I gave each other wary looks. I could feel his anger, which was the same as mine.
James said in a low voice, “This is silly.” “I’ll take care of this.”
After that, he quickly left the room.
I was shocked by the news as I stood there.
live together with this unpleasant man? It looked like a mean joke.
But I have no other choice and my life is falling apart, so the risk might be worth it.
As the lawyer put his papers away, he said, “I’ll call tomorrow with more information.” The rules of the will take effect the day after they are made public.
“Why was I written into his will?” I was brave and asked.
“Oh, Miss Green, we still don’t know that.” But Mr. Morrison was a nice person. “Don’t worry, everything will be okay,” he told her.
“What do I do now?” What was it?
He told her, “You’re already here.” “Just bring your things tomorrow by 10 a.m.” “See you then.”
I tried to calm down in the yard with the roses before my last night in the apartment. I spent a long time there before leaving the house. There was no going back from the changes in my life.
As Mr. Morrison had asked, the lawyer gave me the house keys and names of people who could take care of it the next day.
James wasn’t there; the lawyer said they would meet with him privately. After saying goodbye, I was left by myself with my bags.
I put my things in order in a room of the house that was dulled by dust and lack of care. As I took the furniture apart, clouds of dust rose, showing the beautiful but old woodwork underneath.
“This place is amazing,” I said in a whisper as I looked at the intricate wood carvings. “I can’t believe I live here.”
As I put my clothes away, I could feel how strange my situation was.
“Why did Mr. Morrison leave this for James and me?” I thought as I sat on the edge of the bed. The house rang with every creak, which was both creepy and interesting.
I said out loud, “It looks like I’ll have to get used to these sounds,” which made the mood better.
Later, as I thought about James, I walked through the messy yard and saw him sitting on a bench, looking at the wild plants.
“So you chose to stay,” he said, not looking up.
I took a seat and said, “Yes, I need to figure things out.”
James looked at me with a serious face. “This is where I live.” This is where I grew up. I have no plans to give you the wealth.
I tried to stay relaxed and say, “Listen.” “I didn’t mean to stay here for long, but I’m here to stand up for what’s right.” I also deserve a good place to live, and I won’t be forced to leave.
James smiled. “Let’s check that out.”
After the chat, I went back to my room because I didn’t want to keep talking to that person. I turned off the light after a while to find peace. But the house had other plans for the night.
When I woke up to strange noises, I went to explore, feeling both curious and scared.
I went to the kitchen to get a gas lamp because the power went out. I used the light to follow the scary sounds to the second floor.
The noise got louder and sounded like eerie wails. I found a record player in the guest bedroom that was making the noise.
“James!” I yelled when I saw how bad he was being.
I was so mad that I went after him. We ran into each other in the dark hallway. James was pulling faces, and a red flashlight cast an odd light on his face.
He teased, “I’ll keep this up until you leave.”
I replied, “You’re acting like a child.” “I won’t be scared by your games.”
Then there was another strange sound.
“Is this one of your jokes again?” I asked for.
James said, “No, it’s not,” and he looked confused.
We fought our way down a tight hallway while following a darting cat.
“Move, you’re in my way!” I lost it.
James replied, “You’re in the way.”
It was annoying, so we went into a closet full of old tools to find the cause of the noise. The loud floors cracked because James was stomping on them impatiently.
Suddenly, the floor gave way, and we fell into a hidden space below. We landed among old books and personal things that had Mr. Morrison’s initials written on them.
“Wow, look at what you did!” James said it.
I said, “It was your stomping.”
Our fighting stopped as we found more of Mr. Morrison’s things. Instead, we became more aware of his presence.
I found an old notebook with Morrison’s initials written all over it.
As I opened it, I thought, “This could be interesting.”
“Don’t read other people’s diaries!” “Give it to me,” James said, take it, and start reading.
“This is strange.” Dad writes about Jane, the woman he loves… My mom was Audrey, though. “This is not right.”
“My mom’s name was Jane,” I said in a soft voice.
We read the book together and found a truth that surrounded us in silence. As soon as we were done, a cat walked in and sat down between us, purring as if to ease the stress.
This shady place was where Mr. Morrison kept a secret that brought us both to this house.
For a few days, James and I didn’t talk to each other. Even though I was busy with work and getting ready for school, Mr. Morrison kept coming to my mind. He was no longer a stranger; he was now a part of my past.
James came to my door the night before the show.
“Want to go for a walk?” he asked, but he didn’t seem sure.
I agreed, eager for a break, “Sure, I could use some air.”
We didn’t say a word until James did as we walked through the pink yard.
“So you’re my sister?” He took a risk.
“It looks like that. “There’s a lot to take in,” I said as I sat down on a seat.
“He kept a diary up until the day he died.” “How did that get in that basement?” Thought.
James thought as he looked up at the stars, “I think it fell through a floor crack right where we fell.”
I sighed and thought about the mystery. “That makes sense.”
“Catherine, Dad found you but couldn’t put us in touch.” He left with the hope that we’d meet again. “Perhaps he wanted us to find that diary,” James thought.
“Perhaps,” I agreed. “He may have wanted us to find our way to each other on our own terms.”
He asked in a soft voice, “What now?”
“I’ve never had a sister.” Dad loved two women, and it’s likely that he also loved his kids. “Now I accept that,” James said in a low voice.
He also said, “I want you to stay.”
“We shouldn’t ignore family or hold on to the mistakes our parents made,” I said, calmly.
“Let’s eat.” “I’m cooking tonight,” James said as he helped me stand up. “I am learning how to be a chef.”
“Really?” That’s a shock. That means you’re clever too?” I smiled and took his hand.
As we walked back to the house, he asked, “What do you mean by “too”?”
“I’m in charge of school plays,” I said.
As we talked in the kitchen, we found that we both liked music, books, and art, which made us feel surprisingly linked.
“And I like trying new foods,” I joked. “Your cooking skills are really helpful here.”
“Then stay,” James pushed, and as he made dinner, his excitement was clear. “Leave for a year at least, and let’s see where life takes you.”
I smiled and took a piece of avocado. “I’ll stay.”
He carefully set the table and then said, “Dinner’s ready.”
As we ate, we talked about how to fix up the house and how we might host community events or workshops in cooking and theater.
With dreams and plans, the mansion felt more and more like home.
As I ate my meal, I said with hope, “This is just the beginning.”
James agreed, “Yes, it is.” “This will become our home if we work together.”
The old house got new life from our laughter and shared dreams, which made me look forward to a bright future full of opportunities. As siblings, we talked about our hopes and goals and imagined what we could do together in this beautiful house.