“Good afternoon, Ms. Porter. I’m sorry to bother you, but the reason I’m calling you is that I need you to come to Chicago at your earliest convenience. It’s about your cousin Jane Porter”

“Cousin Jane?” wow, she hadn’t heard that name in a long time. She and her cousin Jane had grown up together for a couple of years back when she lived in Chicago, but that was a long time ago, and over the years she had barely heard of her cousin Jane, if ever. “What about my cousin?” What could possibly be happening with Jane that she could have any interest in? Did this woman really think she had nothing to do and she could hop into an airplane and travel all the way to Chicago?

“Eh, Ms. Porter, you’ll excuse me passing this news to you over the phone, but given the gravity of the issue I’ll just say it: Your cousin passed away and you are in her will”

“Eh…wow” That was news she didn’t expect to hear. She felt sad for her cousin Jane, but, truth was, she hadn’t really thought about her in a long time ago. Most of her life in Chicago had stayed forgotten in Chicago after she left for Yale.

“I’m sorry for your loss, but we need you to come down to Chicago as soon as possible”

“Miss Thorndike” Bette started “I really wish I could, but my schedule doesn’t really allow it” Bette didn’t understand why she had to be in her Jane’s will reading. She didn’t even understand why she was in her will in the first place.

“Ma’am, I wouldn’t be asking this of you if it wasn’t extremely important” Bette could tell from the tone coming from Ms. Thorndike that this really was an urgent matter. Damn it, why Chicago now?

Her temples began pounding. What was that about today being a good day?

“Miss Thorndike let me call you back to arrange something, because I’m in a really tight schedule these next three weeks”

“Miss Porter it’s imperative that you come to Chicago. I will call you back in 1hour to arrange the details after your arrival. Goodbye”

Bette heard the dial tone and was left staring at the receiver. That was weird, Bette thought. “James?” She called on the intercom