Watching Glass Shatter Page 2

  Olivia and Diane had come from a poor upstate New York family where they shared a bed until they were nine years old, later pushed out of the door to work as housekeepers by age thirteen. Their parents told them only enough money existed for one to go to college, even if they could secure a scholarship to pay for most of it, and Olivia earned the lucky windfall. Diane believed school held no importance to her appearing content to remain in the small comforts of her home. Supporting her sister seemed easier for Diane than choosing her own path in life, focusing on anything but what she ought to do for herself.

  “It was a beautiful ceremony.” Diane relaxed into the car seat. “The cherry tree you planted alongside the grave was touching, Liv. You've created a lifetime of memories for your family.”

  “Is everyone else at the house?” Olivia pressed her fingers to her temple, pacified by the warm blood swimming through each one under her clammy skin.

  “Yes, they're setting up lunch. Only your boys will be there. We've spent enough time with friends and neighbors. I even asked George to stay away, so I could help you without worrying about him.”

  George, Diane's soon-to-be ex-husband, had attended Ben's funeral service and conveyed his sterile condolences to Olivia. Though he'd been married to Diane for thirty years, George barely knew his wife's family, not ever having an interest in other people's children nor any of his own. Diane had finally grown tired of his cavalier attitude and vigilant penchant for ignoring their marriage, requesting a divorce earlier that spring.

  “That was a good idea. You really should have dumped that unfortunate man years ago.” Olivia placed her hand on Diane's noticing the age spots more prominently displayed on her sister's than her own. Her voice stammered, but she held firm until finishing her thoughts. “Thank you for everything you've done for me these last few days.”

  Despite being a few years younger, most people assumed Diane was at least a decade older than Olivia. She'd grown out her hair the last few years and tightly braided it to her lower back, wearing the same dress as she had to her nephews' weddings and other recent funerals. She hated to spend any time fussing with her appearance. “It's a shame Ben's brother couldn't make the funeral.”

  Ben was the youngest of several siblings. When Olivia called her brother-in-law, he could barely even speak on the phone from the impacts of grief and his aging mind. His children stopped in for the wake but chose not to stay for the graveside burial.

  “No, his family has withered. Ben only had us left. It's unbearable for our children to go through this agony. You first focus on your own pain but watching them suffer steals all remaining breaths.”

  Diane fumbled with the clasp on her purse and handed Olivia a tissue. “And without any warning. It's awful, but you'll know how to help them through it.”

  “I can see the pain in Ethan's eyes, but he's strong and will grieve privately. He'll miss Ben the most. Ethan's always been so focused on spending time with all of us, his grandparents… oh, I can't…” Olivia dabbed her eyes with the tissue.

  “It's such a shame to lose his father when he's so close to becoming a doctor. Ben would have been so proud when Ethan fulfills his dreams.”

  Olivia nodded. “Matthew had to tell his daughters their grandfather died. They're too young to understand, but it was dreadful for him to show them Ben's casket. He keeps talking about all the father-son weekends fishing and camping at Lake Wokagee. They'd planned another one this summer.”

  “They loved those trips. Well, maybe not all of them.”

  “That's true. Theodore has alienated himself from us even more than usual the last few months.”

  Theodore was Ben and Olivia's eldest son, and though she would always call him by his proper name, everyone else chose Teddy. Ben had groomed him to take over the law practice at the end of the year, coaching his son on how to act as a stronger, more respected leader and to become a less antagonistic man. Teddy's actions were always packaged with a rough edge, and the tone of his words and speech pattern sounded robotic. Although Teddy had shown up to football Sundays and movie nights, interacting with his family always resembled more of an obligation rather than an enjoyment.

  The car turned passing the corner where Ben had always dropped off the boys for the school bus in the morning on his way to work. A few heavy drops fell from Olivia's eyes. She let them roll across her cheeks, reluctant to grant them total control. She imagined Ben lining each son side by side, inspecting his loyal soldiers, and patting their heads as he christened each one ready to begin his day.

  “At least Caleb is back for a few more days.” Diane rubbed her sister's shoulder. “You'll get to spend more time with him.”

  Caleb had only agreed to attend the anniversary party the prior weekend after much pressure, but he stayed in Connecticut for the funeral to grieve for his father's passing. Olivia once thought Caleb would stay home with her and Ben when they grew older, but abandoned hope when he disappeared to Maine ten years earlier.

  “Caleb's hurting. I know my son. I wish he weren't all alone. He needs someone to lean on… a girlfriend, a wife. The guilt over living so far away must be consuming him.”

  “Caleb is strong like you in so many ways holding back to protect himself from the intensity of it all. I'm sure he's got friends to look out for him. What about Zach? Are you still worried he's using…”

  Olivia interrupted. “He drove back to Brooklyn last night for work. I heard him arrive early this morning. Zachary's actions are always unclear.”

  Olivia thought Zach often spiraled out of control when he left his five-year-old daughter in her and Ben's care unsure of what trouble he'd engaged in. She and Zach hadn't been close the last few years, and despite a few attempts at a reconciliation, it always proved futile.

  “Five boys without a father. We should have had more time.” Olivia leaned forward and reached a hand to the front seat to sturdy herself. Her head sloped toward the floor of the car when her voice cracked.

  Diane rested her head on her sister's back. “I know, Liv, but you'll support them. You'll remind them of Ben, and they'll find a way to get through their grief. It takes time. Pain is different for everyone. You need to replace it with memories of something positive.”

  Olivia summoned memories of Ben's marriage proposal when he'd arranged a private afternoon lunch in the southern nursery of Connecticut's finest botanical gardens. Dressed in a heather gray knee-length chiffon silk dress with sleek embroidered violet straps wrapping around her neck, Olivia meandered the slate stepping stones to a patio shrouded by voluminous twenty-foot cherry trees. Ben stood underneath their cascading flowering branches, shadowed by the umbrella sky of brilliant pink, red, and white hues, holding a single sprig of cherry blossom. On the far corner of the patio, before the grafted trunks of the cherry trees met the pristine, freshly-mowed green lawn, a four-piece string orchestra crooned romantic melodies. When Olivia stepped inside the trellised gazebo, she smiled at the fresh-cut lilies, reminiscent of the bouquet he'd brought her on their first official date. A waiter poured them each a glass of Dom Perignon, and as she reached for the champagne, the thick edges of the goblet pressed into Olivia's fingers. She inhaled the scent of the sweet liquor and shivered at the shower of a bubbly effervescence dancing on her face. The quartet played Roberta Flack's “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Ben dropped to one knee. Olivia's hands trembled until Ben took one into his own. As the strings of each instrument blended immaculate harmonies and the musician's lyrics rumbled in the background, the reverberation through the wooden floor of the gazebo poured into her.

  Ben's words still fluttered today in Olivia's ears… Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife… to complete the picture of the future I've wanted… ever since the day we met at the opera… even in the car moments after Ben's burial, when realizing she wouldn't ever again see his face.

  Olivia acknowledged Diane's comfort with her eyes as the car pulled onto their street. “I'm unsure how to do this… to start a new
life without him by my side. We were together for over forty years. The boys have all left home. I'll live here on my own now. I'll eat breakfast alone every morning. I want to crawl into bed and close the door to my new life.” Olivia's breathing quickened as she panicked and shook.

  “Calm down, honey. You need to relax and breathe. You're not alone. I'll help every day if you need me. We can stay outside until you're ready.”

  Olivia considered her sister's suggestion wiping tears from her eyes and clutching her chest. Her sanity told her she didn't need to return to the house. Not a single part of her was ready for this new widow phase where she woke and fell asleep alone in the bed she'd shared with Ben for so many years.

  “At least this misery ends tomorrow when we read Ben's will and hear his words again. It should offer some closure and help me decide my future path.”

  Chapter 2 – Olivia & Ira

  Ira would normally hold a client's will reading in his own office, but given this had the potential to wreak havoc, Ira chose what he thought best for Olivia. He'd only met her once when Ben included her in their family's estate planning decisions.

  Ben's personal study reminded Ira of his client, given it held an air of old world charm, historic beauty, and cozy memories. Ira sensed Ben's presence in the room imagining him with an after-dinner cordial in one hand, a cigar in the other, and a symphony recording playing in the background. To the left, an expansive seating area circled around a beautiful stone fireplace under twelve-foot cathedral-domed ceilings. To the right stood a large traditional oak desk near the over-sized bay windows with an original Tiffany lamp on its corner.

  Olivia held a striking yet maudlin pose as she sat upright with her legs angled toward the fireplace, posture clean and crisp with an arch matching the back of her tall, wing-backed leather chair. She held a cup of tea in her hands atop a fine silver-rimmed china saucer and stared calmly at him. Ira assumed she'd been crying recently as her swollen eyes refused to hide behind whatever makeup she'd applied as a wishful cover.

  “Mr. Rattenbury, meet my sister, Diane.” Olivia pointed to her left and placed the cup on the table. “It's eleven thirty, we should start.”

  Diane poured chamomile and raised the porcelain teapot toward him. “Would you like a cup of tea, Mr. Rattenbury?”

  “Yes, how kind of you.” Ira watched the other members of the family take their seats. “I'm pleased you could attend today. Ben included you in his estate, often speaking fondly of you when he'd come visit me.”

  Diane blushed and handed him the tea. “I'll miss Ben more than I know how to say.”

  Teddy, the eldest son, and his wife, Sarah, sat on the couch across from the oak desk. Teddy's hair had turned salt and pepper even though he'd barely entered his early thirties. His wide-set green eyes sparkled when the sunlight blasting through the front window landed on them. Teddy fussed with his collar settling on leaving the top button open, and his awkward face scowled.

  Sarah, thin as a rail, displayed a bird-like appearance. She had ash-blonde hair closely cropped to the sides of her face, a charming southern accent, and almond-shaped green eyes she hid behind. Ira placed her at forty, almost a decade older than her husband, and while some might consider her pretty, she also appeared worn, tired, and faint.

  Ira nodded and shook their hands. “Nice to meet you both. You have my condolences.”

  Sarah's neck craned forward. “Much obliged.”

  Teddy did not respond. A frown still occupied the better half of his face.

  Next to Teddy sat Caleb with wavy dark hair and olive skin, different from his parents. Perhaps reminiscent of the relatives in the various family pictures scattered around the room. Caleb's eyes appeared heavy and distant as though he wished he were anywhere but in that room at that moment. Ira reached a hand toward him. “It's good to meet you. Your father spoke highly of you. I'm sorry we haven't gotten to meet before this weekend.”

  Caleb shook his hand with a firm grip, his eyes looking past Ira toward the window. “I appreciate it, Mr. Rattenbury. I'm not home often, but my father mentioned you on our calls.”

  Olivia smiled. “Caleb designed this room for his father many years ago. Ben proposed a mid-century modern motif for his study. I never saw the room until finished, but Caleb has always had good judgment. And he loved and respected his father.”

  “It's very impressive. You're an architect?” Ira lifted his head.

  Matt, walking toward Ira, interjected before Caleb had a chance to respond. “Yes, my younger brother plays with his little drawings all day long. And by younger, I barely mean so by only eleven months, but he never could keep up with me. Right, Cabbie?”

  Caleb twitched at his hated nickname recalling the tortures his brothers inflicted on one another over the years.

  Matt was neither tall nor short, but his witty personality and energetic demeanor compensated for his indiscriminate height. He wore brown stubble across his cheeks and well-defined chin, and dark bags loomed under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in weeks. “Caleb hates when I call him Cabbie… it goes back to our golf days when he ran up and down the course trying to catch any player who'd give him a chance at the ball. Breaking news… he never did!” He shook Ira's hand and backed away, his dimples shining far across the room.

  Caleb cocked his head smiling at his brother over the childish banter. “Let it go, Matt. We all know you're the sports hero in the family. No need to overdramatize today.”

  Matt crumbled a napkin and threw it with deft expertise at Caleb. “I'm just joshing. It's a grueling day for all of us, Cabbie.” He ran his fingers through his thick chestnut hair, his muscular arms thrown above his head. The napkin landed in Caleb's half-empty glass of seltzer. Matt's fists pounded the chilled air, and he shouted goal, as the dunk sprayed drops of seltzer and ice across Caleb's perplexed face.

  Matt's tone dropped flat when he looked back at Ira. “We appreciate you coming to the house. My wife wandered upstairs with our girls. We thought it best not to have them at the will reading. If we need Margaret, I can run upstairs to get her.”

  “No, it's fine. We can talk to her afterward if anything comes up. Ben's will is straightforward when it comes to what he chose to leave for everyone.” Ira shifted his weight as he leaned into the desk.

  Matt nodded and took a seat after punching Caleb in his right arm. A token of affection or mischanneled grief.

  Ira glanced next at the youngest son whose youthful glow could challenge any teenager. He had a lanky, wiry frame, bore a thick head of reddish-blond hair, and boasted several freckles on his ruddy complexion. “You must be Ethan. Your father's pride was evident over all the work you've accomplished at the hospital. Boston University, right?”

  “Yes, sir. My second year of medical school is almost complete. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Rattenbury.” He quickly took a seat on a chair closer to the window, on the far side of the grandfather clock, while his gaze constantly checked on his mother.

  Ira's eyes opened wide. “We're missing someone… Zach?”

  Olivia's eyes darted around the room. “He was in the hallway a few minutes ago. Let me go check.” She stood and angled toward the door.

  Diane placed the teacup back on the table, looking out the double doors, and motioned to her sister. “Liv, he's walking down the stairs. There's no need to search for him. “Zach,” she yelled. “We're in the study.”

  Zach walked through the open doors with his daughter, Anastasia. “I'm here, no need to find me. I was just checking on my girl.” He picked her up, swung her from side to side, and she giggled with an innocent laugh. When he put her down, she closed both the doors with a flourish as though she'd known it was time for privacy.

  Zach, clad in acid-wash jeans and a black t-shirt with bare feet and dark wet hair, was ruggedly handsome. He kept a trim beard set across his squared chin and high cheekbones as well as two visible tattoos. One on his arm where an artist had drawn a green and pink vine running from Zach's left wrist up to
the back of his neck. On his right forearm, a pair of black and white dice danced, along with a few colored playing cards, the ace and the king of hearts. The red had begun to fade, not unlike many other things in his life.

  Olivia's lips pursed as her voice grew harsh. “Zachary, it's not a good idea to have her here with us. Margaret could watch her upstairs with the other girls. Would she mind, Matthew?”

  Matt lifted his head. Something he fiddled within his pocket had been distracting him. He mumbled “Huh?” as his eyes pressed together, and his neck jutted to the side.

  Diane took her grandniece from Zach, gently brushing the girl's wild copper locks while placing Anastasia on her lap. “I'll watch her. There's tea in the pot if you want a cup.”

  “It's helpful for her to absorb the family dynamics, Mom.” Zach walked to the sideboard. “No, too hot out for tea. I'm gonna pour a glass of brandy. Anyone else need liquid courage?” He carefully emphasized the word liquid.

  Sarah and Teddy exchanged glances, their eyes shifting back and forth across the room.

  Olivia kept silent, but Ira could tell by her rising, wrinkling nose, she was ready to summon a rattled angst at her son's behavior.

  Ira spoke to clear the strain. “Since we're all here, I can begin.”

  “Yes, I agree with you. Thank you, Mr. Rattenbury.” Olivia motioned for everyone else to sit.

  Ira stifled a laugh considering Olivia appeared to view the reading of the will as her marionette show despite knowing he maneuvered the strings for the rest of the afternoon. A few minutes later, Ira completed delivery of the basic premise of the will, when he drafted it, and what the next steps would include. When everyone nodded with their understanding, he continued.

  “Let's discuss the specifics of the estate. I will cover a few items we should handle before anything else, when it comes to distribution of assets. And now, the following is directly from Ben's will: To my beloved sister-in-law, Diane, I leave the sum of two hundred thousand dollars disbursed as soon after my death as possible. Diane, you have been like my own sister, and you have always taken care of this family as if it were your own. I should take care of you. You need to find happiness. You need to live the rest of your life as you want to live it, not as someone else forces you to do so. Think back to our conversation after your mother died, and you will know what I mean. Do not accept what stands today. Find your own adventure in life.”