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"That's not funny." She mocked a cry. "I'm desperate."
"When are you not?"
She exhaled. He knew she was trying to calm herself. "Do you want to end this friendship?"
He laughed out loud. "Okay fine, I'm coming."
"But wait!"
"What now?"
"You're not at work, are you?"
He smiled. She was in a dilemma most of the times. It was as if she always wanted two things. There was always a 'but' to her wishes.
She wanted Chris to be with her but she didn't want him to compromise his work. Maybe, Chris thought, there was a 'but' to their potential relationship, too. Maybe she wanted him as more than a friend but was too afraid to ruin her friendship with him.
He sighed mentally at his wishful thinking and replied, "No, Giselle. We've had everything closed for two weeks. I told you the other day, remember?"
"Oh," she said in a low voice, "I forgot."
"It will be resumed after some changes are made. I wanted to wait before you felt okay."
"Wait for what?"
"David wants to discuss Abbott's Will with you."
David was Abbott's attorney-at-law who worked with him at the office as well as visited him at home quite often to discuss legal matters regarding the businesses. He was also named the Executor of Abbott's Will.
He heard her sigh. "It's okay. Just call him today."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yeah."
She cut the call before he could say anything else.
Fifty minutes later, Chris sat next to Giselle in Abbott's home office. The Executor sat on the opposite sofa along with Lucas, a middle-aged man present as a witness. As a second witness, Alex sat on the other side of the Executor, looking bored.
Abbott's office was minimalistic—white marbled floors, a black wooden desk, a small bookshelf filled with self-help books, a black chair, and blue sofas. The walls were painted white with only two photo frames dotting the surface. One was Abbott and Rose's from when they used to live in Petrichor. The other one was Giselle when she was in middle school being hugged by her mother.
Chris eyed David who was shuffling through his documents. He was an old man with only a few black hairs left to turn gray.
Ana brought them tea, and Chris noticed the lingering stare Alex fixed on her till she was out of the room.
They continued carrying out the small talk that varied from how the weather had gotten cold to how sorry the lawyer was about Abbott's death.
"Yes, it all happened unexpectedly," said Chris when Giselle replied with her silence only.
David nodded. "He was a great friend of mine. He's helped me through a lot."
Chris looked sideways at Giselle who smiled weakly at him.
"Anyway." David sighed. "I wanted to discuss a few things with you, Giselle. If you don't mind."
Chris got up. "I'll be in the next room."
He'd planned on being a witness but two were enough. When David showed up with Lucas, and since Alex had already arrived, Chris had backed out.
