After taking one last look at myself I hurry out into the living room, wave goodbye to my brother and my father and disappear into a flash of light that takes me out of my Harlem apartment to Forty-First Street and Lexington Avenue in front of the Rosen Building. If everything works out, my new heir should start receiving monthly payments from the trust on the first of next year.
Chapter 12
The elevator opens on the fourteenth floor of the Rosen Building. I step out of the car and notice a beautifully decorated Christmas tree next to the large silver Anderson Financial logo on the wall behind the reception desk. From the looks of things, Jack’s business can compete with some of the top Wall Street firms.
The receptionist greets me with a smile when I state my business. “Welcome to Anderson Financial.” She greets. “How may I help you?”
Looks like they’re just as professional as the top Wall Street firms are too. “I have an appointment with Millicent Anderson.”
“And you are-”
“Andrea Robinson.”
I’m greeted with another friendly smile after saying my name. “She’s been expecting you. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
The receptionist presses a button on the intercom and announces me. A few minutes pass and Millicent strolls out to the reception area to meet me. The elegant voluptuous peanut butter colored woman looks polished in a navy blue sheath dress and matching heels, and tasteful gold necklace. Upon seeing me, she rushes up to me and gives me a big hug filled with love. “How you doing Andi?”
“Great.” I reply as she breaks the embrace. “Where’s Colleen?”
“In my office sleeping.”
Millicent gestures and I follow her past the reception desk through the Berber carpeted fluorescent lit maze of Formica desks in the pit. As we make our way past the junior sales reps, towards the credit department, I pick up our conversation where it left off.
“You know you could have left her with Margaret-”
“And have Social Services come after me?” Millicent jokes.
“You have a point. Putting Margaret around children would be tantamount to child abuse.” I retort.
“Putting my sister around anyone is tantamount to any form of abuse.” Millicent continues. “Colleen isn’t leaving my side.”
She’s gonna be one great mother. “She stays here long enough she’s gonna know as much about finance as you do.”
“I’ll be headed back home with her after we finish drawing up your trust. This is going to be my last job for the company for a while.”
“You taking some time off?”
“I have a daughter to raise.” Millicent replies. Besides, I think the new intern Janeen is going to fit right into my old job when she graduates.”
“She’s a sharp one. One of the best pledges we ever had at the Theta. Almost as good as you were back in 1962.”
“She had a 4.0 GPA last semester.” Millicent continues. “And she’s learning things very quickly here.”
“Do you think she’d be one of those kids you’d think would figure out my secret?”
“Probably.” Millicent says. “If she were here right now she’d tell you that you that you forgot your cane.”
Crap, I knew I left home without something. “Let’s just say I’m feeling very strong today.”
Millicent chuckles as we turn the corner and pause at the tall ash wooden door with Jack’s name on a brass plaque stating he’s the CEO and Chairman of the Board. When Millie opens the door to his office suite, I’m greeted by Jack and two surprise guests. Edna and Alma sit in front of his desk dressed in tasteful suits, heels, and church hats. They jump out of their chairs and smile at me. I wasn’t expecting them to be here.
“You’re late.” Alma jabs.
“I had a hard time finding the place.” I joke. “What brings you two by?”
“You need witnesses.” Edna replies. “And who better to watch you give away fifty million dollars than your best friends?”
“You just want to see if you’re gonna get something before they read my will.”
“All gifts given before death are tax-free.” Alma jokes.
Jack stifles a snicker as he listens to the banter and gets our attention with a look as Millicent closes the door and I take a seat in front of his desk. “Andi, I’ve had our lawyer draw up the terms of your trust.” Jack says. “You say you wanted to use your personal fortune to establish a trust that covers the costs of initiating pledges during their four-week stay at the Theta House?”
“That’s what I wanted to do.” I reply.
“And you wanted to pay a monthly stipend from that same fund to your relative Isis Tamara Robinson. With payments of twelve hundred dollars a month to begin on the first of next month?”
“Yep. My great-niece deserves to be taken care of.”
“I still think you’re giving her too much money.” Alma says.
The way prices are going up I think I ought to give her more. “She’s got classes at Spelman coming up soon.”
“You know I’m not gonna go easy on her when she takes my classes.” Edna says.
With the way she grades on a curve, there goes my hopes of graduating with a 4.00 GPA. “Wouldn’t have it any other way Doc.”
“And if she pledges Theta, she’s not gonna get any preferential treatment either.” Alma says.
“So I’m gonna get worked over when I pledge?”
“You’re the one who said we had to keep things fair.” Millicent replies.
“Don’t think of it as suffering, think of it as building character.” Edna says swatting me on the arm. “Isn’t that what you used to tell me back when I pledged?”
Me and my big mouth. What a revolting development this is. If I only saw where Andrea’s death was taking Isis. Being forced to go back to college and being forced to pledge my own sorority all over again. Man, karma is a bitch.
Jack passes the papers across the desk. I read over the documents and see that everything is written to meet my terms. Edna will manage the fund running The Theta Trust and that money will be allocated to her on a quarterly basis to pay our Sisters for their time when they volunteer to train pledges. A separate budget will be used for the maintenance of the property on Alma’s passing. That should allow them to preserve the mission of the Theta Sisterhood for the next few decades.
Anticipation builds in the room as I take a pen from Jack and sign the dotted line of the last page. From this moment, on most of Andrea Robinson’s money goes back to The Thetas.
“Congratulations Isis. You’ve just established the Theta Trust.” Jack says.
“Thanks Jack. So when can Isis expect her first check?” I ask.
“That should come on the third of next month.” Millicent says. “But after that, they should be sent to Isis every first of the month.”
“Great.” I say.
“I bet you ladies want to celebrate.” Jack says. “You want to hit Beefsteak Charlie’s? My treat.”
I catch the worried look on Millicent’s face. She’d love to get back to Colleen. I won’t take up any more of their time. “I’d love to grab a steak Jack, but I’ve got Horus and Osiris moving me out of my apartment. I’ve got to get back uptown to make sure they don’t break anything.”
“Another time then?” Jack inquires.
“We’ll celebrate at my retirement dinner in two weeks.”
A knock on the door interrupts Jack. When Millicent opens the door we’re greeted by Janeen’s concerned look. “Mille, Colleen woke up and started crying.”
Millicent gives us a smile. “Well, that’s my cue. Can you guys find your way out?”
“We can manage.” Alma says.
“I’ll see you all in a week.” Millie says rushing out of the office.
“See you then.” I say.
I ease out of my seat and extend my hand “Thanks for taking care of my business Jack.
“It was a pleasure taking care of Andrea’s account.” Jack sa
ys.
“Isis will probably send you a thank you note after Christmas when she starts working with you.”
“I’ll look out for it.”
I shuffle out of Jack’s office and Alma and Edna file down the hall behind me. As we make our way through the maze of desks, Edna flashes a smile at me. “Drove your Mustang all the way here?”
“Nah,” I say. “Anubis needs the car so I’m using NHTS to get where I’m going.”
“NHTS?”
“New Heliopolitan Transit Service.”
“She teleported.” Alma says.
“It was a lot easier on me than walking all the way to the subway station.”
“Take her a half-hour to get there as slow as she is these days.” Edna says.
“Took me a good half-hour to get dressed.” I say. “I can’t wait for these this life to be over. Then I finally get my bikini body back.”
“I wish I could join you.” Alma replies brushing back her silver hair. “Be nice to have my old figure back, hair I could actually style-”
“A chance to have a surfing contest on the Island of Solitude.”
Edna rolls her eyes. “I don’t think I could live through you two being young again.”
“All I want to do is beat her at something Edna.” Alma jabs.
“What? You wouldn’t want to have fun like old times Doc?”
“Your idea of fun was giving me heart trouble when I was twenty. Horse races, drag races, archery contests, swimming contests-”
“I almost had you at archery. Split the apple in half on the first shot.” Alma says.
“You almost split my head down to the brain stem with your William Tell games.” Edna snarls. “Why couldn’t the two of you get involved in girly things like sewing or crochet-”
“That’s house stuff.” Alma says.
“I had to be best friends with a pair of tomboys.” Edna sighs.
“Well, our fathers wanted sons.” I say.
We walk past the reception desk and wave goodbye to the receptionist who smiles at us. Alma gives me a concerned look as I hit the button for the elevator. When the elevator opens and we step on I find out what she’s worried about.
“You want us to take you home in a cab?” Alma asks as we step on the elevator. “Or can you manage a ride on the subway with all the crazies?”
I flash my friends a smile as the elevator closes. “Save your tokens Almie.” I tell her as we disappear into a flash of light.
Chapter 13
The girls are surprised as the flash of light takes us out of the Rosen building up to my Harlem apartment. As I stand in the space where my old sofa once sat, I look around the empty living room and smile. It looks like Horus and Osiris are making excellent progress moving Andrea out. At this rate, all her stuff should be on the truck by about three.
Alma and Edna pace about the barren floors and look around. “So what are you going to do with your apartment?” Alma inquires. “Give it to your great-niece?”
While that’d be real convenient, it wouldn’t be prudent. Or even appropriate. I really need to give everyone who ever had a relationship with Andrea time to grieve and move on. “I’m gonna sublet it for the time being.”
“Thinking of getting another spot in the city?” Edna asks.
“I’m gonna spend some time on the Island of Solitude for the time being.” I reply.
Edna grimaces at me. “You’re not getting out of taking my class.”
I wouldn’t dream of it. “What? I want to spend time with my family.”
Alma’s ears perk up on hearing about my family. “Is that handsome brother of yours helping you move?” Alma asks.
“Er…Horus is married Almie.” I say through gritted teeth.
“So? My husband’s been dead for ten years.”
“Just remember the Bible says: Thou shall not commit Adultery.”
Alma gives me a playful smile. “Hey, I’m looking, not lusting.”
“Just don’t take too long of a look that you start to lust.” I jab.
“So why’d you bring us back uptown?” Edna inquires.
“I want to give you both your Christmas presents. Providing my brothers haven’t moved them out of the bedroom yet.”
The ladies follow behind me down the hall into the bedroom suite where the headboard and mattress are gone. It looks like they just started moving the furniture out of the bedroom, so I can still share my parting gifts with them.
I scan the dresser and find the two velvet jewelry boxes sitting next to the framed Black and white picture of me standing in between Alma and Edna when we went dancing at The Savoy. “Merry Christmas.” I say as I hand them both the jewelry boxes.
Anticipation builds inside me as I wait for them to open the cases. I catch the smiles on their faces as they light up at the sight of the two gold necklaces with small bladed ankh pendants on them. “Wow! These are just like your necklace.” Edna exclaims. “Well, like the one you wear when you know you’re…you know.”
“Just my way of letting you know I’ll always be with you.”
“These things had to cost you a fortune to have custom made.” Alma says.
“Nah, they’re made out of the same enchanted gold as my pendant.” I reply as I take them out of the cases and affix them around their necks.
“So you’re giving us your old jewelry?” Edna snarls.
“No, these are brand new.” I say. “Touch the pendants.” I request.
“I’m gonna smudge the finish.” Edna whines.
“Don’t worry about that. Just touch it.” I insist.
Alma and Edna touch the pendants and a flash of light takes us out of the Harlem apartment and onto the white sand beach of the Island of Solitude. The girls look around the beach in awe as my frail older body transforms back into its younger, stronger, true form.
“So this is that private island of yours?” Edna asks.
“Yep, it’s my home away from home.” I reply.
“I wouldn’t mind spending a weekend here.” Alma says. “It’s so peaceful.”
“That’s why I gave you the pendants.” I say. “If you ever need anything, just touch the pendant.”
“You know you could have just given us your phone number.” Edna says.
“And run up my long distance?” Alma snarls. “You know how much it costs to reach out and touch someone these days? It’d be a lot cheaper to take a trip to the South Pacific on the friendly skies than call someone internationally.”
Always a cheapskate. She’ll probably be here every weekend laying on my beach and eating my Sealtest ice cream if she could. And I’d be looking forward to having her as a guest at the house.
“Can anyone else use these?” Edna asks. “I wouldn’t want you to wind up with an unwanted visitor showing up if it got stolen.”
“These magic in these two pendants are only attuned to you two, Millie, Jack, and baby Colleen.” I say.
“Colleen?” Alma asks.
“Just in case Millie ever decides she wants her to get involved with me.” I continue. “I know that you guys want Millie to grieve and get over Andrea, but if she needs the help of Isis I’d like her to know that I’m here for her.”
Edna and Alma nod their heads. “I don’t have a problem with that. It’ll be years before we probably tell her about you.” Edna says.
“That’s even if we do tell her about you.” Alma says. “I might want my granddaughter to live a normal life.”
“If that’s what you want for her.” I say. “But I just want you to know you have the option of letting her know she can get involved with me.”
The girls look across the way at my beach at my beach house and smile. “So are you going to give us a tour of the legendary Casa de goddess?” Edna asks.
“I’d invite you up for a cup of tea, but I’ve got to get back to the apartment to finish moving.”
“Maybe we’ll do it after Christmas.” Alma says.
“I’ll put it on th
e schedule.”
A flash of light takes us all from the Island of Solitude back to my apartment in Harlem. Just as we step into my bedroom, I hear the locks of the front door twisting open. By the time we make our way back down the hall into the living room, we’re greeted by the smiles of Osiris and Horus.
“Hey Dad, looks like you made good progress moving my stuff out.”
“Yeah, we got almost all of it on the truck.” Osiris says mopping sweat from his forehead. “Once we get that dresser of yours and your clothes packed up we should be done.”
They make it sound so easy. Too easy. I give them a look. “Okay, how many things did you break?”
Horus quickly caves. “Just a lamp.” Horus blurts.
He’s holding back. “What else?”
“…And the new color TV you bought for your bedroom.”
My eyes grow wide on hearing about the damage done to my Zenith System 3. “That set cost me $300!”
“It just slipped out of my hand when I was putting it on the truck-”
“How am I supposed to watch the late show when I get home tonight-”
“Can’t you get the floor model into the bedroom-”
Alma gasps at the sight of Horus’s sweaty T-shirt clinging to his broad muscular chest and cuts him a flirtatious look. “Come on Andi, I think we can forgive him. A big strong god like him just doesn’t know his own strength-”
“Stay out of this Panties with Dampness-”
Horus catches the flirtatious look in Alma’s old brown eyes and telegraphs a smile at me. “Isis, you should be as understanding as your best friend is. These kind of things happen-”
“That they do.” Alma says backing into Horus’ strong chest and nestling her head in it. “I’ll buy you a new TV Andi. Consider it my present for allowing me to be in the presence of this big, strong god of a man-”
“I’d cool it on the flirting Alma.” Edna says.
“I can’t help it if I’m smitten-” Alma flirts.
“And you’re never too old to be smitten by a jealous goddess grandma.” Edna chides.
“You always ruin the fun Doc.” Alma pouts as she steps away from Horus.