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Richard sighed. “Yeah, I know. I’m looking into buying one of the old hotels on the island and fixing it up. I figure that’d be a nice project to invest in, you know?”
Stoney smirked. “So you are thinking of staying here, then.”
“Maybe,” said Richard. “Stella kind of showed me that there was more to life than just the board room. I’m not all that eager to go back to it. And buying a hotel and fixing it up is going to put us in a pinch, I don’t doubt it, but I’m ready for the challenge.”
“Goddamn,” said Stoney. “Who the hell are you and what have you done with Richard?”
Richard just laughed. “You’re looking at the real me,” he said. “The one and only.”
Stella came back into the kitchen, a pile of mail in her hand. She set it on the table and Richard pulled her into his lap, kissing her gently. “So, what time does your flight back leave?” Stella asked Stoney.
“Three o’clock. I was hoping to go into town and get some more souvenirs before I go.”
She nodded. “We could show you some good places, right, Rich…” She trailed off as she looked down at him. He had started going through the mail and now he was looking at one envelope addressed to him from “The Estate of Richard Hollis II”.
Stella’s brow furrowed. “What could they want?”
Richard shook his head and started opening the letter. “What’s going on?” asked Stoney.
“It’s from his father’s estate,” Stella answered.
Richard started reading the letter, then he nudged Stella off his lap and stood up himself, still reading. Both Stella and Stoney watched him with concern as he read silently.
“What is it?” asked Stella. “Richard?”
Richard stopped reading, then set the letter down on the table. He sat there for a moment, rubbing his upper lip thoughtfully.
“Don’t leave us hanging, Rich,” said Stoney. “What’s it say?”
“So,” said Richard, “It’s about my dad’s will. Remember how my father wanted me to marry to get access to his fortune?”
Stoney and Stella looked at one another, exchanging the same thought. “Holy shit,” said Stoney.
“But… wait,” said Stella. “I thought that was all over. When Rebecca found out about what we tried to do…”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “The money was always mine. I just had to get married to claim it. He only said I had to get married and until then, his estate would go to Rebecca. I could have gotten married at eighty and still gotten the money.”
“Holy shit,” Stoney repeated.
Stella squealed happily. “This is great, right?”
Richard just stood there, stunned. After everything he’d been through. After all that he’d seen. Was this really how it was going to work out? Stella hugged him and pulled him back into the present. “Richard, this is wonderful.”
“How about that?” said Stoney, picking up the letter. “Looks like you messed around and got the moneyandthe girl in the end.”
Richard smiled, then laughed. He looked down at his beautiful wife and thought about his wonderful life. Things couldn’t have worked out any better than this.
