“Stuart?”
“Yes, still here?”
“Granger did say if Geoffrey and I did get divorced that he would give the property to Geoffrey, but then wouldn’t I be without a home? We have two little girls and they need a home?”
“Oh, gosh, Granger didn’t put this in action. This is a ‘Spider’s Web’ trap done usually by a parent who wants to maintain control over the family. Your mother Margaret has Granger tied to her with assets and property management. The property contract gives her control over you no matter where you go. She will offer to help you buy a property with her as co-partner and again in time this will revert to Granger. At least Geoffrey will have his money back and his property, but if you try to remarry I’m sure there is a legal clause forbidding this action.”
Stuart cleared his throat, “This is all very complicated and I would recommend both of you to hire an experienced real estate contract lawyer to help with this. I have no legal knowledge in this field, although I wish I did.”
Sophia took the marker to draw an ‘X’ through all of her questions. Sybil and Donna stared at her. Sophia said, “Stuart, thank you so much for listening and your advice. We’ll go over our options again and come to a decision. This was rude of me to call and ask you for help when this isn’t your field. Please have a lovely weekend. We wish you and your family our best. Perhaps sometime we could all get together to share stories?”
Stuart agreed and they both hung up the phone. Sybil took the notepad, “What, what happened? Didn’t he help you? What did he say?”
Sophia pulled out a kitchen chair and abruptly sat down, “No, he couldn’t help us. He isn’t that kind of lawyer, but he did say Uncle Granger and Grandma Margaret acted legally. We are stuck.”
The phone’s ringing broke the silence. Sybil stared at her mother. Sophia shrugged to look at the clock on the wall. It was three-thirty and too early for Geoffrey to call home. Sophia pointed to the phone and Sybil picked it up, “Hello?” Sybil made a horrible face, “Yes, Grandma Margaret, she’s right here.”
Sybil practically threw the phone at her mother. The girls ran back into the family room and turned on the television. Sophia quickly answered, “Hello, Mother, how are things going today?”
“Oh, Sophia, there is so much to do and it would be most appreciated if you would be kind enough to come over and help me. Bring the girls with you if they are available? We could go to Applebee’s for dinner, my treat?”
Sophia stared at the messy floor caused by their muddy boots, “Well, Mom, we just got home from sledding. All of us are exhausted. What is it you need help with right now?”
She heard Margaret gasp, “Right now? What do you mean right now?”
“Well, you said there was so much to do and for some reason I took it to mean right now. All right, so what’s going on over there, please explain so I won’t jump to conclusions?”
“Right, well, your father’s hospital bed is now out of the house as you know. I wanted to move my bed back into the middle of the room and get some help with his clothes and his medical supplies. I mean what am I to do with all of his stuff?”
“Mom, you could put it in piles. On Monday call the Salvation Army or Goodwill and have them come and take all the clothes away. His medical paraphernalia is finished. Just throw pills and stuff away because no one else can use it. The oxygen tanks and the heart monitor stuff should have a phone number of the people who brought it and they can come and pick it up. You’re paying rent on the equipment. If they pick it up then you don’t have to pay rent on it anymore.”
“Sophia?”
“Yes, Mom?”
“Sophia, you sound cold. Are you angry at me or Granger for what we did to your property? Are you still fretting over what happened at the lawyer’s office?”
“Mom, I am tired. The girls and I had a lovely morning sledding, hiking and having good family fun. Evidently what you and Granger did was something you felt you needed to do although it wouldn’t have hurt to talk to us about it first.”
“Sophia, where is Geoffrey? Why didn’t he go sledding with you and the girls?”
“Mom, Geoffrey is at his friend’s cabin in Pecos. They are ice fishing or doing guys’ stuff.”
“Oh, did Geoffrey leave you already?”
Sophia shook her head, “Mom, what are you suggesting? Are you a fortune teller now?”
“Sophia, you have always been rude to me ever since you were fourteen years old and I still don’t appreciate it. I just thought you might like to go through your father’s things and take what you want, but evidently you aren’t interested.” Margaret hung up the phone.
The empty martini glass by the kitchen sink seemed to beckon Sophia for a refill. Sophia studied her hands as she rubbed her fingers together. She reached for the phone. It would be good to go back to the house. The girls needed to appreciate their grandfather’s death. If Sophia had time alone with her mother, perhaps she could change Margaret’s mind regarding the property.
Quickly dialing before she changed her mind, Sophia spoke to her mother, “Mom, the girls and I will be over there around five. We can help you with Geordie. By the way did you call the vet?”
“Yes, I did get the vet out here. He charges a fortune. Did you know it costs three hundred dollars to come to the farm? After he arrives the bill goes up considerably.” Margaret paused to sip on something, “He took some x-rays of Geordie and found he has cancerous pulps in his intestine. Sophia, he wanted to put Geordie down! He said Geordie was in terrible pain and the kindest act would be to put him down! Can you imagine?”
“Mom, if the doctor feels he is in pain it would be the humane thing to do.”
“No, Sophia, I can’t live here without a horse! I have to have a horse here- this is a farm. What kind of farm would I have if I didn’t have a horse? If you remember, we used to have four horses and now I am down to one. This horse is staying here, staying alive, and staying around to make my farm a real farm!”
“Mom, the horse is in pain. If the horse is in terrible pain you are beholden to do the right and proper thing. Poor Geordie shouldn’t live his life with a disease eating up his insides.”
“Well, too bad, that’s all I have to say. My reputation supersedes the horse’s right to die. The doc wasn’t completely convincing for he left me with a hefty prescription for Geordie, which will cost a pretty penny believe you me!” Margaret was now fuming into the phone. “I am supporting his habit, the vet’s not the horse’s, let me tell you!”
Sophia sighed, “All right, Mom, how about we come over and see you. I will help with Papa’s things and then we can go to dinner at Applebee’s, your treat. Let’s try to have a good time.”
“Well, if you put it like that, fine. See you around five.”
Sophia walked into her bedroom. Everything felt empty with Geoffrey gone. She studied herself in the full length mirror by the closet. Her jeans were covered with mud, her hair stuck straight up in the air, but her cheeks were rosy red. She called to the girls, “Sybil, Donna, I am going to take a hot bath! Then we are going to Grandma Margaret’s to feed the horse.”
Not waiting for a reply, Sophia closed the bathroom door to enjoy her time to relax before dealing with her mother.
9
Rocoso, New Mexico
Saturday,