The Jewelry Box

THE JEWELRY BOX

It was heartbreaking thinking about the death of my favorite aunt, Rosie. She treated me as if I were her only child even though she had several of her own. I tried hard to get through the day when the phone rang. It was my cousin Tammy. Ugh, what does she want? I answered the phone as if I were just waking up. “Hey Julia”, she said, not waiting on a response. “They have called us to mom’s attorney’s office, and for some reason your name was included in the will. So, meet us at noon at the attorney’s office. I will text you the address”. She then hung up without a word from me. I was as puzzled as I am sure she was. They knew of the relationship their mom and I had. I was there with her at the end, only me. But, I had nothing to do with the changing of her will. I hope this is not what this is about. I sat there contemplating whether or not to attend. I then called my mom. “Hey mom, this is Julia. “I know Julia”, she said. “So, mom, Tammy called me to tell me I was invited to the reading of the will. Do you know anything about that?” “Yeah”, mom said. “She called me upset that your name was on the will along with mine. I told her I understood why because you guys were remarkably close, and you were there with her when no one else was. She got upset and hung up the phone.” “Well, you know I didn’t do that to be paid. I just loved her so much and didn’t want her to be alone.” “I know”, mom said. “Just go. Even if it’s her jewelry box, I know she would love for you to have it”. “Okay, thanks mom. I will, just because you told me to. I will call you later with the details.” We hung up.

I tried to think of anything I may have said or done to make them think I had something to do with her will. My aunt wasn’t rich, but she worked extremely hard as a social worker until she was not able to work anymore. But believe me, she kept every penny of that salary. The last few years she started spending the money Uncle Joe had left her. She bought a new house and car but everything else, she saved. I believe that’s one of the reasons her children didn’t feel they should take care of her. Their dad gave them everything they wanted and when he died, they felt that jackpot was gone. She knew their dad had left them each enough money to survive on, so there was no need to call her for anything. She only gave when it was a necessity.

After she became ill, the visits and calls gradually stopped, only one son, Jeremy, would call. He lived in Buffalo, so was too far from Atlanta to visit often. My mom and I would go visit her every day, sometimes alternating days. She was very hurt that her six children (four daughters and two sons) didn’t come to visit her especially when she became ill. She had been diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer. They all came by when she told them about her diagnosis but then were scarce. It pains me even now to think about all those lonely nights she had. She hired a live-in nurse to come in when mom and I had to work, but it just still felt like it wasn’t enough. The phone rang relieving me of my thoughts. It was Linsey, another cousin. “How dare you turn our mom against us. I don’t know what you did to get your name on this will but believe me, I will find out and if it’s anything more than that jewelry box in her room, you will pay”. She then abruptly hung up. What have I gotten myself into, I thought? It was close to ten and I needed to get dressed and find this attorney’s office. I was dreading it even more now. I am so thankful my mom was going to be there.

I arrived at the attorney’s office about ten minutes to 12. All my cousins were there. I looked past them to find my mom who was sitting in the corner with tears in her eyes. Hey mom, I said giving her a hug. “Hey cousin”, Jeremy said. “Hey Jeremy”, I replied smiling. He and I were close growing up but had grown apart after he got married and moved away. He gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, “don’t let these fools get to you. I know they were not there for mom and some lived within miles of her. I talked with her on the phone and all she would talk about was how you were there for her. She was thankful for your mom being there, but she thought you were an angel because you didn’t have to be there. Whatever she has left you is not enough. I just want you to know I am thankful that you were there, especially at the end. I had gotten on a plane to get there but I was too late. Thanks so much for loving my mom”. I hugged Jeremy as the tears flowed down his cheeks. I was thankful someone in that family was in my corner.

“Attorney Johnson will see you know”, the clerk said. We all got up and followed her into the conference room. I could tell from the glares that most of the family members were not as happy as Jeremy was to see me there.

The attorney began reading the will:

This is the last Will and Testament as written by Rosie Stevenson in the day of our lord, January 27, 2020. I leave my house in its entirety to my sister, Nancy. I leave my old model cars left to me by my husband to my son, Jeremy. I leave my newest vehicles to Tammy and Linsey. I leave the remaining portion of my estate to all my children to be divided equally including all stocks, bonds, and remaining assets. I leave to my niece, Julia, who stuck by my side until the end, all my jewelry along with the jewelry boxes. This concludes the reading of the will. Everyone gave a sign of relief and all left.

I stopped to say thanks to the attorney who then grabbed my hand and asked me to stay for a minute. He allowed everyone to leave out and then reached inside his briefcase. In it was a little black notebook. This is something your Aunt Rosie wanted me to give to you privately. Please do not open it until you get home. When I stepped outside, my mom was standing there. “I know you expected more. I am sorry you only got the jewelry”, she said. “Mom”, I said, “that was more than I could ever had imagined. I really wasn’t expecting anything”. “I am glad. You are such a jewel. Now, I have to decide whether I am going to keep my house or sale it, but we can talk about it later”. Alright, mom, I said, talk to you later”.

I rushed home to see what the black notebook thing was about. My Aunt Rosie had so many beautiful pieces of jewelry that I could not imagine what else she had to tell me. As I opened the black notebook, something fell out. It was a check for $20,000 made out to me. My heart skipped a beat. On the check, she signed with all my love. It was made out a month before she died.

I opened the black notebook and started reading. She had started writing about me coming to visit her each day that I showed up. The notebook was filled with her laughter and joys as she shared each moment that we spent together. She talked about the movies we watched, the videos, the music and even the singing and dancing we did before she was bedridden. Tears flowed down my face as I made my way halfway through the notebook.

I decided I would finish the book later, but something pulled me to the next page. I flipped the page, and began to read a letter written to me:

My darling Julia, there is no way I could have made it this far without you. I cannot repay you for what you have brought to my life, the joys and laughter. The check for 20,000 dollars is only a small portion of what I am leaving you when I die. The kids will all have a sizable portion from all my assets and insurance policies but none of them have any idea of how much I am worth. So, in the back of this notebook, you will find all the documents necessary to take over this private account. I have left information with the bank that you are the only one who is allowed to take over this account. I am sure your cousins will see in my old account information regarding the $20,000 that I left but no one, and I mean no one knows about this one. To date, there is 2 million dollars in that account and once I die, they will deposit 250,000 more dollars there. Do with it whatever you will and please know I love you from the bottom of my heart and I pray it brings you as much happiness as you have brought me, Love always, Auntie.

The tears continued to flow as I read the last line of her message. I had no idea she felt this way. As I am thankful for what she has given me, nothing can replace the relationship we had. I decided to buy a safe to put this in my bedroom so that I can cherish the memories forever.

I did as she asked and never told anyone about the little black notebook but decided that I no longer needed to waste any more time at the department store job I had been working for the last three years. I headed over to the bank to get everything put in my name and would stop by the bakery to get a cake to announce to my job that I was quitting. In spite of losing my favorite aunt, my second mom, it was a good day.

I called my mom and told her I would come over later to visit. She was excited and decided Aunt Rosie’s house was bigger and in a better neighborhood, so she was going to be moving. She also asked if I wanted her old house. She was willing to let me have it for $20,000. I looked at her and asked, “mom, you knew”? And she replied, “I wrote the check for your aunt a month ago”. We both laughed. We sat there laughing and talking all day. We decided we both would live in Aunt Rosie’s house and she would decide later whether to keep her house or sale it. Aunt Rosie had made the day.