Day 574
My Dearest Hannah,
There hasn’t been much to write lately, more of the same. I’ve been focused on enjoying the time that I get to spend with you. We have a few things in common so far:
We both like rocks
We both like music
We both like animals
We both like to dance to David Bowie in Labyrinth.
Just a few things -there are so many more. But, today I feel like something major started. So I better record it.
I got a call from Aunt Starla today on my way home from work. She asked me to get in touch with your daddy. See, Grandpa Elmer left specific things in his will to some of us, and the last person left to sign the paperwork and receive their items was your dad. Starla heard from the estate attorney and they wondered when all of the paperwork would be turned in. That can’t happen until your daddy comes down here, gets his stuff, and signs the document. One of the things that he inherited is a handgun. It is illegal for us to mail it or transport it across state lines. Besides, the gun itself is of questionable legality itself. Anyway - Grandpa asked your dad for a gun and he got him one. In order to be sure that your dad got it back (and someone didn’t take it) Grandpa put it in the will so that no one could steal it from your dad. The estate attorney said that he had to sign the papers himself; which meant that he had to come down to Tennessee to do it.
So, I pulled over and texted your dad and asked him to call me when he could. I no sooner got back on the road than he called me. He apparently got off his job early. I told him what Starla said and, honestly, he said he understood and he would work on a date to come. After that, we had a really pleasant chat about a project at my work - I’ll tell you about that later. And, we continued to talk until I got home and then he chatted with Granny. He wasn’t home yet, he still had a bit of a drive.
There was a hurricane a few days ago that really just hit us with wind and rain. Hurricane Helene. Other places were hit much harder. But, not long after Granny hung up with your dad, your mother called my phone. She wanted to check on us to make sure we were ok after the hurricane. Granny ended up talking with her because I had to take Winnie outside. By the time I came back in, I could tell something was wrong. She put the call on speaker and I could hear your mother complaining about the fact that your dad had to come down to Tennessee. Her points:
The gun should never have been in the will in the first place. (That was the only way to ensure that your dad actually got it back.)
The Estate/Starla should hire someone - or pay the attorney to bring the gun to Illinois (which is actually illegal, and even if it wasn’t, that wasn’t something Starla was gonna pay for.)
She has power of attorney over your dad, so she should be able to come and sign the paperwork instead of your dad (she could have if it didn’t involve a gun. The gun put a monkey wrench in the whole thing.)
“I’m not gonna let my husband lose his job over something that never should’ve been in the will in the first place.” (Not once did we say he should. In fact, your dad said he would work on it, and that’s all that needed to be said.)
This had nothing to do with her and her opinion was not actually required. The deadline is in November, so there was a little bit of time to figure things out. While your mother was screaming at Granny on the phone, I took Granny’s phone and went outside and called Starla. I told her about all of this and we agreed that it was not your mother’s business. Her opinion was not required. Starla was also not going to give her her way, either. She couldn’t do that legally, no matter what your mother said.
It got really bad and Granny eventually was crying. The call was over. I said to her, “Why did you tell her in the first place? You know she would flip out.” And, that’s exactly what happened. The volcano erupted and spewed bullshit everywhere - about something that isn’t even her concern at all. Your dad is the only one concerned in this situation.
I have a bad feeling about this. Something ominous is looming. And I don’t like it. Your mother was being ridiculous, screaming at Granny like it’s her fault and we both caused this “problem.” My grandfather was killed by some teenager who decided to hit them head on. To call enacting his last wishes a “problem” and to insist that she is the only one who knows the law is absolutely the epitome of ridiculous and, frankly, it’s unforgivable. She needed to butt out and keep herself to herself. I’m fast approaching my limit, the point where I will no longer hold my tongue. Jesus, this is already hard enough dealing with the loss of Grandpa, setting the estate on all fronts, and all of the other crap that’s going on behind the scenes where Grandpa is concerned - why make this harder? I just wanted to scream “STFU” at the top of my lungs. But, I know that if I do, it will result in something even worse.
Sigh. Baby girl, this is just a mess. My thoughts are with you right now. I have a candle that I light for you so that I can send energy to you. I’m going to light it right now. I love you. Forever.
