The Squabble

It was such a bizarre scene. I half-expected to be waking up any moment. But I knew I wasn’t dreaming. ‘The old man died without leaving a will.’ I turned to the source of the voice and recognised Rita, Callum’s wife. She was talking to Rebecca. ‘We should split it equally.’ ‘In three equal portions.’ Roxanne jumped into the discussion. ‘Kieran’s dead, so we should leave him out of the will.’ ‘There’s the company. And the old family residence. And the fleet of cars. And the furniture, jewellery, antiques.’ Rita counted using her fingers. ‘I don’t want the stuff. I want cash.’ ‘Me, too.’ Rebecca nodded. ‘We should hold an estate sale, collect the proceeds and split them three ways.’ Neither of them mentioned Claire’s name. She was just the stepmother, after all. The three women squabbled over who got what while their husbands kept quiet. The kids were silent, too. I watched the ridiculous scene unfold in front of me. Did any of them realise James Valentine had died less than five minute