“Did your mother have anymore children after you?”  Bette asked.

“No” Lydia shook her head “Alvarez already had children from a previous marriage and I don’t think Mom wanted anymore, so she raised his kids as if they were her own.”

“Why couldn’t they take you in?”  Tina asked.

“Dad explained it to me later on when I got older, but it appeared that some families frown upon children of mixed races, even Mexican families” Lydia looked at them and chuckled “I guess white people aren’t the only ones capable of such backwards beliefs” she said with a hint of sadness.  “Anyway, I’m over it.  I took over Dad’s estate, cashed in some of the bad investments, which weren’t many, and left the rest alone.  That” she pointed at the sheet in Tina and Bette’s hands “is a list of all of the property and shares in various companies that he owned, well that we own.”  She looked at Tina for any sign of rejection.

“And Grace turned this down?”  Tina looked at Lydia.

“She only took the money” Lydia looked down at her hands, “she said she didn’t want to deal with the rest.”

“I see” Tina wasn’t surprised by her sister’s reaction “and what did you need from me?”

“If you wanted to” Lydia nervously played with her napkin then looked at her Tina “you could help with some decision making regarding his estate.”

“I didn’t know him very well” Tina shook her head, “I don’t think I could contribute very much.”

“From what I’ve seen so far, you definitely know your business.  Dad would’ve been proud of the way you handle yourself in a meeting.  I know I was very proud to call you my sister.”  Lydia smiled as Tina blushed from the compliment.

“Say that we do agree to this” Tina shifted in her seat as she held Bette’s hand under the table, “would we have to relocate?”

“No, of course not, you and I just say the word and the lawyers do the rest” Lydia smiled at her and Bette.  “There is a check from the insurance policy and it will be wired straight into your account.   The amount is stated at the bottom.”  Bette and Tina read the amount and both their eyes got big.