Gabby, in her late twenties, perched nervously on the edge of her seat in the lawyer’s office. Around her sat her three siblings: Maya, Tasmin, and Robert. The air was thick with a mix of anticipation and a touch of nervousness as they all awaited the reading of their late mother’s will, her final behests that would soon shape their lives in ways they couldn’t yet fathom.
Before each of them lay an envelope, sealed with the promise of what their mother had decided for them in her last moments. One by one, the siblings reached out, their hands trembling slightly, and tore open their envelopes with bated breath. As they unfolded the contents, a collective gasp filled the room, quickly followed by a murmur of confusion. All except Gabby found a solitary one – dollar bill inside.
Maya, her face flushed with a mix of anger and bewilderment, turned towards Gabby. Her eyes were fixed on the still – unopened envelope in Gabby’s hands. Without warning, she lunged forward, her hand shooting out to snatch the envelope away. “What’s going on, Gabby?” she demanded, her voice shrill and filled with a hint of accusation.
The lawyer, startled by Maya’s sudden outburst, cleared his throat awkwardly. It was evident that he, too, was in the dark about the contents of the letter that held the key to this unexpected drama.
As Maya ripped open the envelope and unfolded the letter, her eyes widened in disbelief. The words on the page seemed to leap out at her, and she stood there, frozen in shock. Slowly, she handed the letter to Gabby, her hand shaking.
The letter revealed that their mother had made a rather astonishing decision. Every single thing – the family house, the savings account, all their mother’s worldly possessions – was to be left to Gabby. The room plunged into a deathly silence as the siblings struggled to come to terms with this unexpected turn of events.