Of Heather and Thistle

Chapter 2

The purpose of our gathering today is to review the final wishes of the late Christopher James Campbell, as outlined in his last will and testament. Though a solemn occasion, examining Mr. Campbell's testament provides us insight into how he hoped to distribute his estate and assets. As we proceed, let us honor his memory by thoughtfully considering his directions for those he left behind, his daughter Heather Campbell. Our goal is to gain clarity on Mr. Campbell's intentions, ensuring his legacy is handled according to his wishes." He made something as deeply personal as my dad's last wishes sound like the terms and conditions of a software update.

He continued, "The executor of Mr. Campbell's will is his daughter, Heather Mackenzie Campbell. By naming her as sole executor in his last testament, Mr. Campbell has entrusted Heather with carrying out his final wishes. As executor, Ms. Campbell now bears the legal responsibility of managing her late father's estate. This includes locating her father's assets, paying any outstanding debts, and distributing the remaining assets to beneficiaries as outlined in the will. While acting as executor can be demanding, Mr. Campbell demonstrated his faith in his daughter's capabilities by selecting her to settle his affairs after his passing. Her appointment represents the deep bond of trust between father and daughter."

I scoff at that last line. *Deep bond of trust?* More like I'm the only person he had left. Everyone else had the good sense leave before they were dragged down by his shit storm. The guy must've sensed my apathy at the statement and cleared his throat. "Well, um, now then, let's discuss the assets at hand."
I sat there, stunned, as he awkwardly tried to move the conversation forward.

"First, the residence located at Meadow View Lane in Asheville, North Carolina, including all possessions within said home," the lawyer shifts in his seat. The task of deciding the fate of my father's house weighed heavily on me this past week. I knew that choices were inevitably going to have to be made. What was once a warm and loving home filled with happy memories of my family had become an empty shell, reflecting the bitterness in my father's troubled soul. When I last saw it a year ago, liquor bottles and trash were strewn about, lending to the erasure all traces of my mother's gentle presence through the years. The utter wreckage bore witness to his pain and loneliness. I don't think I have it in me to live there. But I also don't think I have it in me to sell it - it was my mom's dream, after all.

"The second residence..." I feel my eyes widen in shock as he continues.
"Wait, hold on!" I blurt out, cutting him off mid-sentence. "What do you mean 'second residence'? What second residence?" I lean forward intently, surprise and confusion etched on my face. Where did this mysterious second home come from? I rack my brain but come up blank - I had no idea he owned any property other than our family home. This revelation has caught me completely off guard.

The stiff gentlemen in front of me coughs and goes on, "As I was saying, the family residence of a certain Elidh Rose Mackenzie-Campbell, Mr. Campbell's late wife, located in the village of Beauly, Inverness, Scotland."
My jaw dropped.

I can't believe my ears. There he sits, droning on in that monotone voice about debts and other sums owed here and there, oblivious to the fact that I checked out ages ago. My mind races with questions that demand answers. Why was I never made aware that mom's childhood house was still in the family's possession? How could a secret like this be kept quiet all these years? I search my memories for clues, sifting through conversations for any hint, any mention that this place was still out there; the home that was such a large part of my mom's past. But I come up empty. I'm utterly bewildered as I stare at the attorney, resentment simmering inside me. I sit in tense silence, questions raging in my mind, waiting for the full story I should have been told years ago.

"The Makenzie family trust once belonging to your mother will now be transferred into your name. It appears that your father never went through the process of absorbing her assets upon her passing, though he was the executor of her account. It has sat for the last, hmm, thirteen years or so? This will not be a problem as you are the sole beneficiary to your father's estate."