Chapter 1
Carmilla emerged from the black town car, stepping onto the cemetery grass. It was far too early for her to be awake, but her mother had never really been all that considerate of her preferences.
“Boots? Really?” A gentle arm wrapped around her waist and the pair began walking.
“Not today Mattie.” Carmilla said quietly.
“I know. Come on, let’s take our seats.” The siblings walked past rows of chairs to join their brother at the front.
“Hey sis, nice to see you in the light of day for a change.” Will smirked at Carmilla.
“So help me Luce, I will make this a double funeral.”
“Both of you need to simmer down. Mother would hate to see us bickering on the day we put her to rest.” Mattie intervened, and the three of them hid grins at the ridiculousness of that statement. One of Lilita Morgan’s favorite past times was pitting them against one another for her affection.
Carmilla glanced back, scowling at how quickly the seats were filled with people ready to pay their respects. A priest stood up and began to give the usual speech, but she felt her mind wandering from the present day to flashes of her imperfect mother at various points in her life. Screaming at her for breaking an expensive vase at age 5. Smacking her across the face for interrupting an important dinner party at age 13. Refusing to let her read her father’s deathbed letter at age 18. She didn’t refocus on the funeral speech until she heard her own name.
“Lilita Morgan is survived by her three children. William Luce, Carmilla Karnstein, and her eldest, Matska Belmonde who will now say a few words in her memory.” He invited Mattie over, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she took his place at the podium, looking at home in front of her captive audience.
“You all know that Lilita Morgan played a number of roles. The beloved CEO of Belmonde Industries, accomplished president of Luce Property Management, a loving wife, but to my siblings and me, Lilita Morgan was most of all, a wonderful and never-resting mother.”
“Does she hear herself?” Carmilla whispered to her brother. Will stifled a laugh.
“Yes, our dear never-resting mother. Always on our backs for disgracing her good name, threatening us with disownment. It was quite the time-consuming occupation for her really.”
After Mattie’s glowing – and as Carmilla was not surprised to note, tearful – speech, the three children of Lilita Morgan said their goodbyes to the distant relatives and respectful shareholders so that they could escape to her now vacant mansion.
They let themselves in and their footsteps echoed familiarly through marble entryway. Throughout remarriages and other life events, the family had always remained at the enormous manor. These hallways were the ones where Mattie taught Carmilla and Will how to most effectively hide from the nannies (Mattie preferred climbing inside suits of armor), where they all had their first kisses with childhood sweethearts, where the girls laughed as Will singed an eyebrow trying to set off fireworks, and where they all returned once a year for the holidays as adults.
Now, Mattie stationed herself behind the bar and set three glasses on the countertop. She searched through the liquor cabinets until she found the bottle of scotch that their mother had been saving for a special occasion.
“Your speech was really something Mattie.”
“Thank you William.” She grinned proudly as she poured the drinks.
“The waterworks were truly spectacular.” Carmilla nodded, picking up a glass and inhaling. “I almost believed that you were really going to miss her.”
“She taught us well.” Mattie raised her glass. “To mother.”
“To never seeing her face again.” Carmilla added. The siblings sipped their drinks in easy silence until Carmilla spoke again. “How long until the lawyers get here?”
“We have about a little while before they show up. The meeting should take a few hours at most and then we can all get back to our lives.” Mattie answered.
When they answered the door an hour later, three middle-aged men in expensive business suits were on the other side, dark briefcases in hand. The tall, balding man in the middle stepped forward and shook Mattie’s hand.
“Our condolences from the whole of Davis & Stone. Your mother was a lovely woman and her presence will be missed.”
“She was a lovely client and her money will be missed.” Will muttered to Carmilla as Mattie escorted them into the living room. After they were all settled in, the lawyers pulled out stacks of paper and began to distribute them.
“Lilita Morgan’s personal assets will be liquidated and divided evenly between the three heirs. On top of the monetary inheritance, there is the matter of additional assets to be distributed. Ms. Belmonde and Mr. Luce, upon your fathers’ deaths, your mother gained control of their companies in your stead. Ms. Karnstein, you will also receive the effects that your father left you when he passed away, as well as this property. We will discuss your proceedings individually to streamline this process.”
Carmilla slouched into a loveseat after splitting up from her siblings, robotically accepting and signing everything her lawyer set in front of her.
“Alright Ms. Karnstein, you should find your inheritance deposited into the account you specified. This is a key to a safety deposit box tied to a bank account maintained by Commissioner Karnstein at Straka National Bank that you are now the sole proprietor of. Your father left you complete access to both the funds in the account and the contents of the security deposit box. The deed to Morgan Manor is now under your name. I will go file these papers back at the office.” The man stood up and shook Carmilla’s hand. “Once again Ms. Karnstein, our deepest condolences.”