It's been 6years since I left home to go discover myself. It was the easiest escape from my fore-bearing father, who always wanted to shape me up to be like him. My father wasn't a bad man, actually he was one of the most loving person I have known all my life but then, he had his own life and me living that same life wasn't what I wanted.
My father had always lashed out at because I loved art, it was actually what lived for. For years our house had been a battle field especially since my mom died during childbirth, worse was that the child didn't even make it. My dad had grieved greatly and he wanted by all means for his only child to take over his business empire.
For me, there was no way in hell I was going to be into all that. I couldn't just imagine myself all dressed up to the teeth yelling at grown up men and women to do my biddings. I didn't have the brains for that and certainly wasn't going to spend the rest of my life living in an office. I love to party, meet new people, make friends, get high sometimes and dazzle in art. It was the best kind of life for me, I was young and certainly deserved to live my life to the fullest.
We had another of those nerve-wracking fights again when I told my dad that I had applied for the New York Art school and had gotten my application accepted. He got really pissed off that I turned down his offer to go study in one of the most prestigious business school he'd put me up for to go waste my years in an art school. It was an unending show of rage and bitterness which ended up with me leaving bitterly with nothing but a small suitcase and my big drawing board.
I stepped down from the train feeling a little uneasy, it certainly didn't feel right, every thing felt out of place. Somehow I blamed myself for my father's death. He'd been a very athletic and Healthy man and there was no way his heart would have given way to an attack so easily. If only I'd listened to him, maybe he would still be here.
Well, there's no use crying over spilled milk, he's gone and the least I can do for him now is to ensure that his business keeps running smoothly. Yeah I know, I didn't want to have that kind of life but being in New York had taught me a very important lesson and it was time to make up for lost time.
After walking out the train station, I stretched out my hand to stop a taxi. A taxi pulled up and I entered to meet a really uninterested red faced driver, he didn't even look at me when he uttered the words, "where you headed?". I whispered the location of my father's mansion to him as he drove off.
I hope I'm not too late for the reading of the will. My dad's lawyer Mr Michaelson had informed me of my dad's demise and of his request that his will be read three days after his death. For me it had seemed pretty absurd but there wasn't anything I could do, a dead man still needs to have his wish granted. So here I was, on my way to where I'd made a lot of memories, especially with my father, it felt really painful.
We finally pulled up the lawn and I could feel my heart beat faster. Somewhere within me, I just couldn't wait to find out what my share of the inheritance was because even if I was the only child, I knew my father to be really charitable and it was surely going to reflect in his will. I got out of the taxi, paid the driver and asked him to keep the change.
The mansion hadn't changed since I left, it's walls were still as shiny as ever, the gardens and trees were well tended to, the butlerMr Brown was still well dressed as he welcomed me with open arms. I felt like a little child again as I hugged him and could feel his body give in to old age. We exchanged pleasantries as he led me all the way to the living room where the lawyer and a strange woman sat.
Mr Michaelson stood up immediately to receive me, we shook hands as he said, "Mr Leonardo, it's pretty great to meet you in person". His looks certainly didn't match his voice, over the phone I had the feeling he was going to be someone elderly but right now I was looking at someone who was young and full of life. Then he went on to introduce the lady who sat down by his right as a certain Priscilla.
She didn't even seem at all to notice me, she just stared at nothing in particular and avoided looking at me. I found my favorite spot and sat down as the lawyer pleaded to proceed because he had an important hearing to grace. I felt very emotional as Mr Michaelson read through my father's last words. He sure had been through a lot and still he was as loving as ever. I could remember him now, so happy and full of life, his handsome face as well as his amazing smile, I didn't even know when the tears started to fall off my eyes.
Then I caught Priscilla wipe off tears from her eyes. Looking at her now, I could see how beautiful she was, she had a striking beauty that was hard to resist. When she noticed me starring, she immediately tried to cover up her face with the scarf she had tied around her neck. It really got me wondering what relationship my dad had with this strange lady. I was still thinking when the lawyer finally got to the will proper, his voice sang rhythmically...
To my lovely son Leonardo, my one and only. The one that I love beyond anything in this world. The one whom I live for, to you I leave the big hall in my mansion for your art exhibitions.
And to my lovely wife Priscilla, the one who healed me, the one who stood by me in my trying times, the one I truely love, to you I leave all my businesses, all my properties and 70% of my savings as the remaining 30% will go to charity.......
I could feel the air leave my throat as Mr Michaelson's words trailed off as I fell lifeless on the floor.
This is my entry for this thai week's #inkwell prompt Inheritance. You can join the challenge and also be part of @dreemport 's #PYPT meeting on discord. It's an amazing place to share your posts and also engage with other Authors. You can find more details here.