New Beginnings From Inheritance

By Crystal Tarling

David laughed: "Snobs they may have been, but they were wealthy snobs. Shall we get down to why you are here?" I nodded. "You are the sole beneficiary in Millicent Kendrick's estate. You have been left several properties in the Cape and nearly a quarter billion Rand."  

My mouth fell open. "What? Billion? As in the second letter of the alphabet?"

David laughed: "Snobs they may have been, but they were wealthy snobs. Shall we get down to why you are here?" I nodded. "You are the sole beneficiary in Millicent Kendrick's estate. You have been left several properties in the Cape and nearly a quarter billion Rand."  

My mouth fell open. "What? Billion? As in the second letter of the alphabet?"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crystal Tarling
• Release date: Mar 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393489665

Crystal Tarling

I was adopted as young baby and had a wonderful life full of adventure and imagination.  Stories come naturally to me.

Book preview

Last School Day

All right, please settle down again so we can finish. The class quietened. This is the end of the year and the start of the holidays.  You are hopefully all moving on to the next grade next year, so enjoy your break but also, please be careful. It was Wednesday, the last school day in the year.

There was a knock on the door and another student entered. Miss Kendrick, the principal asked if you would please go and see her before you leave. I thanked her and she left the classroom.

As I was saying, it has been a pleasure working with you all and I wish you the very best for the future. Please continue to work hard and make me proud. They all clapped, grabbed their bags and left noisily.

I packed up my personal things and looked around the room for the last time. I knocked on Marcia’s door and she called for me to enter. She came around the desk to hug me and sat down next to me. I am going to miss you. Are you sure you want a change?  I nodded. Any case, this came for you earlier. She handed me an envelope which was marked from a lawyers firm. Please open it, I will leave you alone if you want me to.

No, stay please. I tore open the envelope and pulled out the single page. We regret to inform you of the passing of Millicent Kendrick. Could you please make contact with our offices with regard to her will as soon as is convenient for you? I looked up at Marcia with a frown. Millicent Kendrick can only be family on my father’s side.  He never spoke about his family other than he had a sister but they were estranged.

Use the phone there and phone them for an appointment. Do it now, Kim. Marcia was also my best friend and she was excited.

I picked up the letter and went to the phone. After a few minutes, I was speaking to the lawyer himself and had an appointment for the next morning at nine.  Fortunately their offices were nearby.  I wonder what that is all about.

Maybe you’ve been left a fortune and a castle in Timbuktu. Marcia laughed. Would you like me to go with you?

Would you? I’ll treat you to lunch. I hugged her and picked up my things to go to the teachers’ lounge to collect any last things I left here. Marcia followed me and we made plans for me to fetch her in the morning at 7 and we would have breakfast before the lawyer’s appointment.

I went back to my flat. I poured a drink and reread the lawyer’s letter. I tried to remember if Dad had ever told me anything about his family. I know they did not approve of him marrying Mom so young – they were barely in their twenties when they got married having only known one another two weeks. Their birthdays were only two months apart and they were inseparable and very happy.  I was sad that they were gone but glad for them that they went together in one accident. I went to get Mom’s diaries and found the one where they met and got married. She often told me the story and told me that her diaries were written for me and my children to read.

I settled down in the armchair with my drink and her diary. Mom wrote of meeting this handsome young man at a fair and falling in love instantly. He was there with his family and their eyes connected.  His mother noticed and grabbed his