Ghostly Inheritance

CHAPTER 1

The sun was beaming brightly and the temperature continued to rise. Melanie began to feel the heat on her body as she sat in her car with traffic that seemed to go nowhere. She leaned over and turned the air conditioning on. The cold air hit her face where she felt mostly overheated, blowing her long dark blonde hair. Her thoughts were on meeting with her attorney today, Eric Thompson. Mr. Thompson had called a few days ago asking her to come in for a meeting. He had sounded kind of mysterious. He didn’t give much information, but had assured her it was just a formality with an inheritance. Apparently Melanie’s great-grandmother had passed away. Melanie didn’t even know she still had a great-grandmother living. Her father had always said he had no living relatives after his parents died. Melanie had never known her father’s parents. They had died when her father was a teenager. He spoke of them some, but it apparently hurt him a great deal to share his memories. So, Melanie never tried to push the subject.

Finally the traffic was beginning to move at a normal pace. The disc jockey on the radio announced the time at 3:35. She had 10 minutes to get to Mr. Thompson’s office.

Am I late? Melanie said out of breath from running a block from where the car was parked.

You are actually on time, I’ll let him know you are here, just have a seat, replied the secretary who looked like she had been on vacation at the beach.

Melanie sat her tall, slender body in the chair, and tried to catch her breath before she had to go in. She began to think of Blake, her husband. He was tall with broad shoulders and jet-black hair. They had been married for three years. Blake was a real estate broker. The two had met at the park four and a half years ago. It wasn’t love at first sight for Melanie, but it was for Blake. He really had to pursue her. Persistence on his part finally paid off. He finally convinced Melanie to go out with him and then several months after she agreed to marry him.

Mr. Thompson will see you now,

Melanie came out of her deep thoughts and went in.

Hello Melanie, It’s nice to see you again.

Great seeing you again too.

They shook hands. I know you don’t know to much about your relatives on your father’s side of the family, but apparently you had a great-grandmother who recently died. She lived in Springhill Louisiana.

Melanie was some what shocked by Mr. Thompson words. Are you sure? My father always said he had no other relatives after his own parents died. I just don’t want the wrong relative notified.

Yes I am sure. It seems she knew about you. I got a call from a Mr. Tyler a few days ago, he was the attorney that was taking care of her will. He asked me to get in touch with you and let you know that Gabrielle Mitchell had passed away and you were the only person named for any inheritance. He responded as he looked over some documents on his desk.

Well I don’t understand why my father wouldn’t have been the heir. He is her grandson. Melanie remembered her mother once mentioned to her that there were more relatives on her father’s side, but he refused to discuss or visit them. No one would ever explain why.

I really don’t know Melanie, you will have to go there and speak with Mr. Tyler. He handed her directions that Mr. Tyler had given him over the phone. I’m sorry I can be of no more help than that. That’s all the information I have. He gave her a smile as he stood to hand her the papers.

Reading over the directions, there arose so many questions she wanted to ask, but she knew Mr. Thompson would not know the answers. She thanked him for their meeting. Still a little stunned, she walked out and down the block to her car. Tossing the idea of telling her father now, or waiting until she spoke with the other attorney. There was no since in upsetting her father if there really wasn’t anything to be upset about. Maybe I should wait to call him, no reason to get him upset until all the facts are in. He didn’t even know her, he never spoke of her, he never saw her, and I didn’t even know I had a great-grandmother until today. Yes, I will wait until I know more.

She was already home and didn’t even remember the drive there. Blake was already home. He must have gotten home early today. He had no idea that Melanie had an appointment with Mr. Thompson today. Melanie started walking toward the door, Blake is standing waiting on her his arms open for her. She walks over and gives him a big hug, he kisses her softly and tells her how much he missed her today. He had always been a great charmer with the ladies.

I see your home early today, did the deal close? She asked him hoping this deal had closed. He had been working on this for a long time, which was keeping him away from home a lot.

No, it is still ongoing, I hope to have it at a close by next week.

They began to prepare dinner as they talked. I had an appointment with Mr. Thompson today.

Are you tired of me already? Blake jokingly said.

Of course not. Melanie looked up at him.

Blake still snickering smiles at her, What did you have to see him about?

My great-grandmother, Gabrielle Mitchell, died several days ago and has left me an inheritance.

I didn’t know you had a great-grandmother still living.

I didn’t either. My father never spoke of her. I’m supposed to go there tomorrow and meet with the attorney.

Where is there, Melanie? Blake asked with great interest.

Springhill Louisiana, her attorney is going to meet with me. Can you go with me?

You know I would love to go, there is just no way I can, I have to close this deal. Though I must say, I’m very curious about the mysterious Gabrielle Mitchell.

It’s very unusual to have a great grandmother and not know of her existence until she’s gone. I’ll leave out in the morning early, I’ll call as soon as I can and let you know what’s going on.

The rest of the evening was normal for them. Melanie packed for her trip and Blake made some business calls. He was now thirty-six years old, and she was twenty-eight. Neither ever felt the age difference was enough to worry about, as long as they loved one another that being all that mattered to them.

Melanie had grown use to the hours that Blake kept at work. He would stay late most nights, anything to close a deal. Melanie had known this before she married him, but had accepted it. What ever it took for him to make a sale, he would do.

Blake fell asleep in the den waiting on a phone call from an associate. That was normal for him to do. Many nights they slept apart in the same house. It never seemed to upset her, she knew he worked hard. Melanie went to bed early and found it difficult to sleep. Tomorrow she would meet the belongings of her great-grandmother. That was all that was left of her. It was exciting and upsetting. Butterflies in her stomach like the night before Christmas when she was a child. Morning seemed to come earlier. When Blake’s alarm clock went off, Melanie was already gone. He had planned on spending some quality time with his wife last night. He did not mean to fall asleep. He got up and took a shower, started getting ready for work. He found a note on the table Melanie had left:

m

I will call you as soon as I have any information. Good luck today with your closing.

I Love You,

Melanie

Melanie was fiddling with the radio in the car as she was driving down the road. I better stop and get some coffee. She thought to her self. She had been on the road for nearly two and a half hours, leaving before daylight. She just couldn’t wait to get there. Melanie stopped at a fast food drive thru and headed straight for the road again. The sooner she would arrive in Springhill the better she would feel. There were so many questions that needed answers about the great-grand mother she had never known. What was she like? Why didn’t she ever contact me if she knew about me? All of these questions, that could only be answered in Springhill, the home of Gabrielle Mitchell.

Melanie enjoyed her ride to Springhill. It was about two in the afternoon when she finally reached the attorney Mr. Tyler’s office. She went in. The whole town was small, not much traffic, more of an old time setting. No one appeared to be in a hurry to get anywhere.

Can I help you? An elderly woman asked her. She looked like she had probably worked here her whole life and knew everyone in town.

Yes Ma’am, I am Melanie Hamilton, I’m supposed to meet with Mr. Tyler today about my great grand mother, Gabrielle Mitchell.

The woman looked at Melanie in a way that made Melanie feel as though she had done something wrong.

Yes, Miss Hamilton, Mr. Tyler is expecting you.

Its Mrs.

Yes of course, sorry, just have a seat. I’ll let him know you are here.

Melanie still trying to figure out the look she had gotten from the woman, sat down and waited. A few moments passed, the little woman came back and told her to follow her. Melanie started getting butterflies in her stomach just knowing she was this close to finding out about things that had been kept from her all her life. They walked down a small hallway and into his office. The secretary let herself out and shut the door.

Hello, it’s nice to meet you, I’m Mike Tyler. I spoke with your attorney.

Hi, I was very surprised to get your message, I had no idea that I even had a great grandmother living.

Well she knew about you. Gabrielle has left you everything she had in this world. This includes her home and all of its contents, bank accounts, land of fifty five acres to be exact. Mr. Tyler explained. Gabrielle had also requested to be placed next to her husband at the church grave site. We tried to reach you before the funeral, but obviously we were not successful.

Melanie felt her mouth drop open. How could this be, she wondered.

Can you tell me anything about her life? Melanie asked.

She was a sweet lady her body just wore out, I really don’t know much about her, she came to me about twenty-five years ago and made her will out. You are the only heir listed in her will. She rarely came to town. She had her groceries delivered to her house, like a lot of our elderly do.

I had no idea that grocery stores still did that.

Well, we are not as advanced as the big cities, I believe you will enjoy your visit with us.

Is there any thing else you can tell me? I know nothing of this side of my family. I was unaware that I still had family on my father’s side. Melanie was hoping to get any information from him about this hidden part of her life.

Mr. Tyler did not seem surprised, he took a cigarette from his desk drawer and lit it. He took a deep breath and smiled a half smile. Well, lets see. Nearly forty years ago Alexander Mitchell passed away. That would be your great grandfather. Their daughter Marie had passed about three years before that. Marie and her husband were in a bad car accident that took both their lives. They left a child behind, Theodore. He paused inhaling again on his cigarette and appeared to be in deep thought. I believe the death of their daughter was too much for Mr. Mitchell, and he just couldn’t accept it. After her death he stopped coming into town at all. He seemed to just wilt like a flower out of season. Again Mr. Tyler paused to enjoy his cigarette. I probably would have been the same way," he added. The look on his face showed the pity he felt for the family.

After his death Gabrielle became even more distant from town, she rarely came. I have known your family for many years. I considered Alexander to be one of my dear friends. I met him during the purchase of the property, my father was the attorney in the closing. I was in law school then. He looked down at the ashtray and extinguished his cigarette. I remember it like yesterday. I didn’t know Gabrielle as well she stayed to herself mostly. The times I would visit for one reason or another, she was always pleasant.

Mr. Tyler had said all he knew of Gabrielle, or at least what he thought he should say. Melanie knew more than she knew before. He gave her directions to the house after handing over the keys, deeds and bank accounts and told Melanie if he could help her to give him a call or stop by. He told her he would be by in a few days to see how things were going. Melanie signed the necessary papers he had and started out to find the home and hopefully more answers.

CHAPTER 2

Once Melanie got out of sight of town the paved road turned to gravel. Everything was peaceful and bright. It took almost thirty minutes to get to the driveway of the house from town. Melanie came upon a mailbox that had Mitchell written on it in big white letters. This must be it, she thought. The drive way itself was about a mile long. There were trees and flowers. It was the most beautiful place. Finally she came up on the house, it was so breath taking. There were so many flowers it looked like a painting of Paradise. The house was right in the middle of all the glorious scenery. It was white, big bay Windows on the higher level. Melanie had never seen anything more spectacular. Slowly, she got out of the car taking in all of the beauty around her, woods behind the house. Several acres of clear land in the front and sides of the house then the woods started again. Every thing looked to be well taken care of. For an eighty-sixyear-old woman she really kept every thing up, she thought. She could tell just by the outer appearance that her grandmother Gabrielle really loved this place. Melanie took a few moments just to walk around the house and admire all the beauty.

Melanie took the keys out of her pocket to let herself in the front door. She took a deep breath and opened it. She caught an aroma of something sweet but couldn’t quite place the smell. She walked around every room taking in as much as possible. She began upstairs and saw pictures on the wall. She noticed the same lady in several pictures. That must be great-grand mother Gabrielle.

Every room was beautiful. It seemed that every room had been precisely decorated. Hours must have been spent on each room alone. There were a lot of rose colors and blues. Melanie liked the rose-colored room the best. She decided this would be the room she would stay in. The house was spotless, not one speck of dirt anywhere.

Melanie made her way through the big house and finally found the kitchen. There were so many rooms in this house, she felt as though she could possibly get lost just trying to find a bathroom. Marble counters, hard wood floors made this the most beautiful kitchen she had ever seen. The refrigerator was nearly bare. She would have to go back into town to get some supplies. She got her luggage out of the car, took it upstairs to the rose room. Still stunned by the beauty of every thing she walked back outside and took a better look at the grounds. The house sat almost in the middle of the fifty-five acres, a large part wooded. She felt herself getting lost in the beauty. This wasn’t a place any one would