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enjamin blinked rapidly as if that mere action would push away the image it held. He cast a quick glance back at Walter and again at the door as Ava walked in.
“What is she doing here?” he inquired in an icy tone, shifting his fierce gaze between his mother and Walter, neither of whom seemed to acknowledge his question.
“Ava, thank you for coming,” Walter greeted her and offered her a seat across from him, on the opposite side facing Ben and his mother.
“Thank you,” she said quietly and took a seat. Walter adjusted his glasses, arranged a few papers, and then faced them.
“Now that we’re all here, I think it’s rather appropriate that I explain why Ava has joined us.”
Benjamin folded his arms and murmured ungraciously under his breath, “About time.”
Lucy had said nothing all this while, but a carefully calculated look of profound curiosity was written all over her face. Walter cleared his throat. “Ava here,” he said pointing at her with a pen, “isn’t even aware why she’s here, isn’t that correct?”
She shook her head. “I’m just as surprised as he is.” She sneered at Benjamin who flashed his eyes at her. The will had not even been read yet and it was already getting fiery in the room. Ava had been tempted to look around and take in the beautiful décor of the study, but Ben had his eyes on her the whole time, monitoring her every move – even those of her eyes.
“We are here because of the last will and testament of Elijah Radcliff, and of course this has to be done in front of his last living relatives: Lucy Radcliff, daughter-in-law; Benjamin Radcliff, grandson and -”
“So why is she here?” Benjamin interrupted. Walter pursed his lips, his fingers pressed tight against the paper before him.
“I know this is not easy, but please…”
Benjamin mumbled something inaudible but ultimately nodded to signal Walter to proceed as planned.
“Thank you. Maybe this will help,” Walter said and slid his hand to the side of the desk. He opened a drawer and took out a small box. Now he had their undivided attention, all three pairs of eyes following his hands as he meticulously opened the box and took out an old recorder.
“Your grandfather and I,” Walter explained, “had a series of meetings in his final days. He laid down explicit instructions on how his wealth was to be shared after his death. Now, as far as Ava’s involvement, I think this recording will explain it to some extent, if not completely.”
The silence was electric as they waited for him to push play. It began with a click and some low shuffling noise and then Elijah’s clear voice came up, calm and steady as always:
“This is Elijah Radcliff speaking and if you are listening to this right now then I’m sure my good friend and lawyer Walter has gotten you all together. Benjamin, I don’t have to be there to know you’re the one with the most doubts. I will try and make this as short and easy as possible. As you all already know, my health is failing. I must confess, I have not been a carefree man in my last days. I have lost my wife and my son, but I also was given a grandson. For that I will be eternally grateful and let me guarantee you that everything that will happen from here on comes from nothing but love and the wish to see you happy, Benjamin…”
Elijah’s voice disappeared for a few seconds. The silence was pulsating and the shifting of bodies in their chairs even more awkward as the grave voice hovered around them, almost as if from the land of the dead. Elijah’s words sliced through the tense atmosphere once more:
“I know you are all wondering why Ava Burns is here with…” There was another pause, as if he wanted to give everybody one last moment to prepare for what was about to come. Ava wore a look of total confusion on her face whilst Benjamin focused on the recorder, his eyebrows narrowed, and his forehead rumpled. Lucy was biting her lower lip as her nail buried themselves into her chair’s armrest almost snapping it in half.
Finally, it came.
“My estate, including all real estate and assets, shall be passed on to my grandson, Benjamin Radcliff... provided that he agrees to marry Miss Ava Burns.”
The recorder clicked and the voice cut off.
The reactions came swiftly. Benjamin’s eyes and mouth shot open wide, so did his mother’s. Ava’s expression remained unchanged while she waited for the recorder to come up again and for the voice to laugh and tell them it was all a prank—but that didn’t happen.
Walter dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief, cleared his throat and then looked up at them.
“That’s it.”
The chair screeched as soon as Benjamin shot up, standing tall as he clenched his fists. “That’s it? Are you joking?”
His mother cast a scornful glance at Ava and rose too. “What is going on here, Walter? What does he mean by that? Naturally my son cannot marry this… this girl. Ridiculous!”
Ava stood as well and their eyes locked. “If it makes you feel any better, Lucy, I wouldn't marry your son even if mankind was doomed and he was its only hope.”
Benjamin shot a quick glance at her. It was clear that he didn’t expect her to be the one to refuse.
“I wouldn't marry you either,” he said to her. “You have something to do with this, I know it.” He jerked back to Walter in the hopes that he would confirm his suspicion. But he didn’t.
