The last thing I expected to get in the mail was a letter from an attorney office. My usual mail was overdue bills or payday loan offers. Just yesterday I got a notice from my landlord that my rent was short for next month and they were demanding the rest of the payment by the end of the week. Even though I was sure I had paid the rent in full, this place was so crooked that I wouldn't be surprised if the rent was illegally increased.

Pushing the thoughts of possible homelessness, I opened up the envelope from the attorney office. Inside was a letter. Reading the letter thoughts of wondering if they got the wrong person filled my head.

"Dear Mrs. Nelson, we would like to inform you of an inheritance you have recently received," the letter stated, "We would like you to arrive at our office to sign some paperwork. We have already scheduled a meeting for you which is enclosed below."

Inheritance? I'm pretty sure anyone in my family had disowned me by now. Ever since my parents and I had a falling out they made it their goal to turn everyone to their side. Even my closest cousin didn't even want to against them. I was on my own in this world, so where did the inheritance come from?

The only person I could think of was my grandfather's youngest sister. She was a rich old lady that lived in isolation. Knowing what I've heard about her, she probably felt bad for how I was casted out of the family and took pity on me. But I thought she had died years ago. Guess I was wrong with that situation if I was getting a letter from an attorney.

Looking at the date at the bottom of the letter, I saw that I was expected to appear tomorrow at around one in the afternoon. The only problem I had was that I needed to find a way to get there. With a ridiculously low bank account and a demanding job, I don't think I would be able to make it. Luckily for me, there was a number to contact the attorney if I had any questions. Grabbing my sorry of an excuse for a cell phone, I dialed the number.

"Raymond and Wilson Law firm. How can I help you?" said a voice on the other line. I assumed she must have been the receptionist.

"Hi. My name is Vanessa Nelson and I'm calling because I just received a letter from this law firm," I tried to sound professional, but I wasn't sure how well I was doing. It wasn't everyday where you had to call a law firm about a letter they sent.

"Can you tell me who wrote you the letter?" the voice asked.

I peeked at the letter to find a name, "Kate Wilson."

"I'll transfer your call," the voice said before music played in my ear. It was the music you imagine the elevator would play in movies. Nothing special and is heard pretty much everywhere. But I didn't have to listen to it for a long time.

"Hi Ms. Nelson. This is Kate Wilson," a professional sounding woman spoke from the other line. She also sounded young.

"Hi Ms. Wilson. I'm calling about the letter you sent me," I told her.

"Yes, the letter. Shame what happened to your great aunt," she said with false sympathy in her voice, "I sure hope they find her body soon."

Shock and confusion instantly filled me, "Her body?"

"Oh, I thought your family would have told you about it by now," she said surprised. "Your great aunt is missing but it was stated in her will that she should be pronounced as dead if she is to go missing. We can over the details more when you come to my office tomorrow."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"That's why I'm calling," I said guiltily, "I can't make it tomorrow. It's such short notice and I can't take off work."

Silence filled my ear. Kate Wilson was probably trying to figure out how she was going to get her legal fees now. It was even quiet for so long that I was sure we had lost connection. But the faint sound of rustling papers told me that we were still connect. Even though it didn't keep my mind from overthinking.

"I can have you come in sometime after work, if that works for you," she said hopeful but still professional.

I squeezed my eyes shut. How was I going to tell this woman that I wasn't going to her office to fill out paperwork. "I don't think I can do that. I have no way of getting there either and I saw that your office is three cities away. A little far to walk."

Cringing with my last comment, I felt like I was just trying to come up with excuses to not go. But this was my life. Barely staying above water while working myself to death. To tell the truth, this wasn't the life I wanted. I went against everything my parents wanted for me to pursue art. Since I've been disowned that passion was put on the back burner because the need to survive on my own took priority.

"Ms. Nelson?" Kate's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"I'm still here," I reassured her as I shook my thoughts out of my head to focus on this phone call.

I could hear the smile in her voice as she told me her solution, "I have a client I have to meet in your town tomorrow. Why don't we meet after that? That way you don't have to travel so far. Are you able to meet for lunch?"

Why was she so nice to me? It made no sense to me. Sure, she probably was just being nice so she could get a cut of the inheritance for her legal fees. Honestly, I don't even know what was left to me. My great aunt was someone never really talked about because she locked herself away from everyone. Even if it is just a box of old things, I can probably pawn them off to catch up on rent. What ever it is, I'm sure I'll find some kind of use for it.

"I think I can do that," I told her unsure, "Can you tell me what papers I need to sign so I can kind of have an idea on how long it is going to take?"

"Of course," she said full of cheer that I wasn't sure if it was genuine or forced. "Your great aunt left you pretty much everything she owned. Her stocks, bank account, and estate."

"Estate?" I said confused.

Kate was more than happy to explain, "Your great aunt left you her house when she disappeared. Everything in it will also be yours to do with what every you see fit."

A house? I had a house now? No more struggling to find rent money? It felt like it was too good to be true. I was tempted to pinch myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming because how could someone I hardly knew would leave me everything that was under their name? It didn't make any sense.

Through my shock, I somehow manage to finish the phone call. Somehow I was able to confirm the time and location with Kate and even wrote it down so I wouldn't forget. I'm pretty sure I sat in my small studio apartment in a complete daze for the rest of the night. My mind completely refusing to process what had just happened. Kate has no idea how much she has changed my life with that one phone call.