Chapter 64

Will and his mother walked in. Julia Stewart wore the same sour look she had at the wedding. She glared at Emma.

​ “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the little gold-digger herself. Ava, wasn’t it?”

​ “Her name is Emma,” Will answered, his fists clenched at his sides. “And will not speak to my wife in that manner!”

​ “Don’t raise your voice at me, I am your mother!”

​ “You haven’t been my mother in a long time,” Will’s voice was dark. He was angry, but Emma detected a heavy sadness as well. Julia crossed her arms and scoffed, but had no rebuttal for him. Will ignored her presence and took his place at his grandfather’s side again.

​ “Pop, I spoke with the doctor. She said that you’ve not been well for a while. Why didn’t you say anything?” Will went from an enraged, wounded man to a scared, and caring grandson. Will hated to show any weakness, but Emma knew there was one weakness he could never hide. And it was how much he loved his grandfather.

​ “What good would that have done?”

​ “I could have taken care of you.”

​ “I know you would have. But you were getting married, and then you were dealing with that emergency in Italy. No, my boy. You have priorities.”

​ Before Will could protest, someone walked in. Emma recognized him. Will noticed that someone had caught Emma’s attention, and followed her eye line.

​ “You’re kidding,” he scoffed. “You’re here too? Neither of you ever cared about us before. Suddenly, you’re here?”

​ Franklin Stewart ignored his son’s outburst.

​ “Dad,” he greeted Conrad. “You’ve looked better.”

​ “I’ve felt better,” Conrad answered.

​ “Why are either of you even here?”

​ “I asked them to come. I gathered the four of you here because you are my legacy. And we need to discuss what will be become of my legacy when I die.”

​ “There’s no need for that, Pop. You’re going to be fine, and you’re going to live much longer. I’ll take care of you. I’ll take better care of you.”

​ “Oh, Will,” Conrad shook his head and looked at his grandson with a sad smile. “I’m afraid not. I’m afraid this will be it. I want to prepare you now, instead of leaving you behind suddenly.”

​ “You can’t do this to me, Pop,” Will choked back tears. “You can’t leave me.”

​ “It was going to happen someday. At least now I can leave knowing you have someone to care for you.”

​ Conrad’s hand smoothed Will’s hair. It was a tender gesture between them, and Emma was barely holding it together.

​ “After my passing, you’ll all received a call from my attorneys in regards to dividing up my estate. It will be a fair distribution of my assets.”

​ “When you say fair—” Julia began, but was stopped by Franklin. Will glared at them as though he wished his gaze would set them in fire.

​ “How funny,” Conrad laughed. “It’s been years since I have seen you all here together. At least I got to see this once more.”

​ “You two should go,” Will whispered. He was fighting for control of his emotions. Emma knew he wanted to cry, but he would never show his emotions like that.

​ “William—” Franklin reached his hand out towards his son. Will moved away from him.

​ “Go!”

​ Will’s parents turned and left, but not before Julia shot one more dirty look at Emma.

​ “Perhaps we could take you home?” Emma offered. “We could make you more comfortable.”

​ “That is very sweet of you, my dear. Even though that house has some great memories, it has even more painful ones. I would hate to add another one. I will be just fine right here.”

​ “Then I’ll stay with you, Pop.” Will added. Conrad didn’t answer, but laid his head back again. “Just rest. I’m going to stay right here.”

​ And he was true to his word. Will did not leave Conrad’s side. Emma felt hopeless as she had no way to comfort him. He was breaking before her eyes, losing the one person who loved him unconditionally. It reminded her of losing her mother. It was a pain that knew no end. Over the next few days, Emma brought Will clean clothes, and accompanied him during the day. He would mumble a word of thanks, but otherwise didn’t say much to her.

​ They did their best to conceal the growing rift between from Conrad as it would only distress him more. Both men seemed to shrink before her eyes. Will had dark circles under his eyes, and he hadn’t shaved in days. He looked sunken and gaunt, a shell of himself. Conrad was not the elegant and distinguished gentleman she knew. She saw him know as a tired old man. Tired of trying to hold a family together, of trying to keep his grandson from destroying himself.

​ It went on like for over a week. Emma watched over Will and Will watched over his grandfather. As the days passed, Conrad spoke less and less. He was more tired and spent most of his days sleeping.

​ “Remember when you were about 8 or 9 years old, and you convinced yourself you could fly?” Conrad said during of his increasingly rare lucid moments.

​ “I jumped off the garden house roof. Gram was furious.” A small smile graced his face as he recalled the memory.

​ “You landed in her roses. The thorns cut you up, and you broke your arm if I remember.”

​ “She was more upset about the roses, I think,” Will chuckled.

​ “For a while, yes. When we got you home from the hospital, she laughed. ‘That boy, Conrad,’ she said. ‘I hope he never stops trying to fly.’”

​ “You never told me that,” Will said, his voice quivered with thinly veiled tears.

​ “Promise me that,” Conrad said. He turned his head to look at Will. There were tears in his eyes as he held onto his grandson’s hands. “You’ll never stop trying to fly.”

​ “Pop,” Will whimpered. “Please don’t leave me.”

​ “Promise me, William. I need to know that you’ll be okay.”

​ “I promise.”

​ Conrad Walter Stewart passed away that night at the age of 87. He died peacefully in his sleep with his loving grandson at his side. Emma left the room to give Will privacy, but she could hear his silent sobs through the door as he grieved. Conrad was the only person to show him true affection and support. The only guidance he ever had. And now he had to navigate the world alone.

​ The hospital came to take Conrad away, and Emma peaked in the room. Will hadn’t moved from his spot.

​ “Will,” Emma called gently.

​ “I don’t know if I want you to stay or go,” he answered.

​ “I can wait out here until you’re ready to go.”

​ “He made me promise I’d be okay. Why would he want me to lie to him like that?” Will looked away from her. He couldn’t stand for her to see him like that, but he wasn’t in his rational mind. He had never known sadness like this. He was sad when he lost his grandmother, but he was young. Conrad raised him, and was the only constant he ever had. “He wasn’t supposed to leave me,” Will’s voice broke, and Emma could see his shoulders tremble as he tried to control himself from crying.

​ Emma didn’t have Will’s control and she cried. Before she realized what she was doing, she walked over to Will and hugged him. Will tensed for a second and Emma backed away.

​ “Oh no, I’m sorry. I’m not thinking. I’ll go,” she turned to leave but Will grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him.

​ “Don’t. He’d be happy to see us this way. And… it feels nice.”

​ They went back to their apartment, and Will threw himself into work. Anything to keep himself from drowning in grief. The next two days were a whirlwind of funeral preparations. Will wanted everything to be perfect and obsessed over every detail. The anticipated call from Conrad’s attorneys came and they were called to the mansion for the reading of his will.

​ Will, his parents, and Emma were gathered in Conrad’s study. The space felt hollow. While it was still elegantly appointed, there seemed to no meaning to any of it. The colors in the wood, which had once seemed so rich were now dull and muted. The room has no soul. Not anymore.

​ Julia and Franklin stood off the to the side while Will and Emma sat on the plush leather couch. The attorney positioned himself at Conrad’s desk. A myriad of papers was set out before him.

​ “Good morning,” he began. “First of all, I would like to start off with stating how truly sorry I am for this loss. I have worked with Conrad for many years. Other than a client, I considered him a friend. I will miss him dearly. Now to the matter at hand. I will read directly from the document. ‘I, Conrad Walter Stewart, being of sound mind and body, do hereby declare that in the event of my death my assets shall be divided thusly. My son Franklin has never worked in my company or anywhere. He and his wife Julia have lived by my hand and off of company shares I have also gifted them. They are to inherit my mountain cottage, a cherished retreat and memory of Franklin’s childhood. Stewart Industries in its entirety, all of my shares, my title and any future earnings will be inherited by grandson, William. He will also inherit my mansion and all other properties. My bank accounts shall be emptied and the amounts therein shall be donated to various predetermined charities.”

​ The attorney looked up and them, indicating that was all. Julia scoffed.

​ “That can’t be it,” she shouted. “A cottage? No way.”

​ “That is all, ma’am,” the attorney corrected her. “These were Conrad’s final wishes.”

​ “I can’t believe it,” Franklin stated. “Dad wouldn’t just leave us like that.”

​ “It’s that stupid little gold-digging bitch’s fault!” Julia screeched, pointing at Emma. “She got into his head and made him take away our money! I will fucking kill you! How dare you come into our family and ruin us like this?”

​ “We aren’t a family!” Will yelled back. “And you will watch how you speak to my wife!”

​ “She is stealing from us, and you’re going to defend her?”

​ “Julia, shut up,” Franklin chimed in. “You’re embarrassing me.”

​ “Yeah, that’s right. Because it’s all about your image. Your father just died and you don’t seem to care at all!” Two thick tears spilled from his eyes from anger. “Get the hell out!”

​ “We will talk about this later,” Franklin added.

​ “Get. The fuck. Out!” Will roared. Will’s parents began to walk out. Just before they left Julia turned back to look at Emma.

​ “You haven’t heard the last of this!”