Chapter 25 Uncle

Sara's hands shook. She tried to control her breathing. Her heart pounded fearfully in her chest. Sebastian had assured her that everything would be fine. She didn't doubt him but she couldn't shake her fear either.

They were in Ferndale. The lawyer was excited to meet her. They would be at his office in less then ten minutes.

"Breath, Sara." He reminded her. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath.

Sebastian pulled into a parking lot of a five story office building. It was made entirely of concrete, steel and glass. The parking lot was asphalt but had twenty-five small trees planted in planned spaces. The lot wasn't crowded but it was far from empty.

"Third floor?" Sara asked as they made their way on foot across the lot. Her stomach churned.

"Yes. Well take the stairs up, turn right in the hall, right again at next hall and it's the second door on the left."

Sara nodded.

"Sara. I'm here with you. I wont let anything bad happen.  But I honestly don't think he means you any harm."

A few minutes later he opened the door and waited for Sara to pass through.

The outer office space was small. There were a total of twenty tan upholstered chairs arranged on a rich brown carpet. Small round tables held little lamps with brown and tan shades. Live plants were scattered around the room in pale gold planters. Four low oval shaped coffee tables makes the individual seating arrangements. Each table held magazines and a small bowl of plastic wrapped hard candy.

To the left a receptionist sat behind a sliding glass window. She looked up and smiled. She slid open the window. Her eyes lingered on Sebastian then turned to Sara.

"Good morning, I'm Jessica Ashton, may I help you?" Her smile was still bright and she still seemed pleased to be working on a Saturday.

"We have an appointment. Allen." He said giving the woman Sara's last name.

The woman glanced down at the date book. "There you are. Your appointment is in fourteen minutes." She said looking up and smiling. "I'll let him know you're here. Please," she smiled, "Have a seat." She gestured to the waiting area.

A moment later the door a few feet from the glass window opened. Sara gasped when her father's friend stepped out. He wore a black jacket, a pale purple dress shirt, black jeans perfectly creassed, and black dress shoes.

"Uncle Trevor!" Sara exclaimed jumping up. She rushed across the space, avoiding a chair and table. She threw her arms around the man who reciprocated. His arms settled easily around Sara's  shoulders.

"Sara darling. It really is you." He pulled back and gave her a long look. "Where have you been?" He demanded. He didn't wait for her response before pulling her in another hug.

"Excuse me." Sebastian said. He was barely containing his emotions. Neither he or Tarron like seeing an unknown male touch their mate.

Sara pulled away from 'Uncle Trevor' "Sebastian, this is Trevor Armington." She explained happily.

"We've met." He replied dryly. But Sara didn't seem to hear him.

"He and daddy went to school together." She explained. She turned concerned eyes to Trevor. "Were here to see a lawyer." She confided.

"Awe, Sara. This is my fault. I'm the lawyer, Sara. I joined Webber, Anderson and Clark just before your dad drew out his final will. You were just a kid. We didn't think it was necessary to tell you."

"Gu - Gloria knew?"

"Yes. Gloria knew." He paused. "How about we continue this in my office?"

Sara nodded. "Sebastian?" Sara said. Come with us. She added over the link. He moved forward but Trevor shook his head.

"No" he said with authority.

"Uncle Trevor I want Sebastian to come." She said softly.

Trevor looked at each of them for a few moments. He lifted his eyebrows in question. "Okay."

They followed him back. Sebastian knew the man had a few pointed questions for them now.

Sara, he's going to wonder why you want a stranger with you. Sebastian warned her.

I'll tell him the truth, or at least some of it. She told him.

Trevor closed the door behind them and invited them to sit. They did and he took his place behind the desk.

He looked at them a moment before speaking.

"You lied?" He asked Sebastian accusing him.

"I asked him to." Sara said before Sebastian could speak. "I didn't know it was you. I was scared of being put in another institution."

"Sara," Trevor sighed. He shook his head and sighed regretfully. "When did he find you?"

"Three weeks ago. I had a place on the mountain. I been there a couple of years. He - he convinced me to come stay with his family. He tried to get me to come talk to the lawyer, you, sooner but I scared."

It took ten minutes before they had explained to Trevor's expectations.

They then switched subjects to Sara's past. She had alot of questions about her father's illness and about Gloria.

Sara's adopted father had known Gloria two years before he had met Sara's adopted mother, Cleo. By that time he hadn't seen Gloria in almost a year. The first time he saw her again was after he had been diagnosed with cancer.

They married when they realized that they still had feelings for each other. Both knew they weren't in love but it was a stronger connection then just friendship. According to Gloria's journal she had fallen in love with him. She never told him. She had almost instantly loved Sara as well. In her journal she had confessed a fear that she wouldn't like Sara because Cleo and Casper had adopted her together. She was later thrilled that that was not the case.

She had continued her job with Lavish Summit because it paid more. She worried about Casper's hospital bills, utility bills and all the things she had never had money for. She worried about raising Sara and letting her and Casper down. So she saved every penny she could and made a will to easy Casper's mind. In truth she never expected to really need it. She expected to be old and gray someday.

Apparently she hadn't known that Casper's holding were quite extensive. She knew only about his dry-cleaning chain business but not his other investments. If she hadn't been murdered she would have inherited a fourth of his estate.

In her own accounts she had 20,000 dollars. Her will left all of it in trust to Sara.

"20,000 dollars?" Sara gaped at Trevor. "I've never seen that much money in my life!" She exclaimed. "Wow. How could they have that much money?"

Trevor lifted an eyebrow. "Sara, that's only what Gloria left to you." He said sounding almost cautious.

She looked thoughtful. "But they were married."

"But they never combined their holdings. Casper provided for her in his will but he didn't put her as a co owner."

Sara made a face as of to say, 'So, what's the big deal.' Out loud she asked, "So the house, cars, and the dry-cleaner business are mine too?"

Trevor nodded slowly and gave Sebastian questioning look. Sebastian made the universal gesture of 'I don't know.'

"Sara, Casper's holding amount to 2.47 million dollars." Trevor told her.

Despite the fact that he sounded completely serious Sara laughed. He didn't laugh with her. Slowly she stopped laughing, nervously. "Oh my god." She yelled in a low whisper. "You're serious?" She looked from Trevor to Sebastian.

Sebastian looked like his brain had malfunctioned. His lips were parted in shock. "Shit." He mumbled.

Sara wasn't exactly sure what happened next. Her body felt heavy. A pressure like deep under the sea settled down on her. The sound of blood rushing in her veins drowned out all sound. The room seemed to fold like the closing of a book. Then there was only darkness.

"No. You can't do that. If she wakes up in a hospital room she'll panic." Sebastian's voice sounded muffled and far away.

No hospital! She tried to yell at him.

"If she doesn't wake up before the EMTs get up the elevator then I may have no choice." Trevor argued. Sara heard the concern but her fear drowned it out. She tried to speak or move but nothing happens.

"Sara, come on baby. Wake up." Trevor said. She felt someone squeeze her hand. "Sara."

Her ears were working too well. She heard the sound of the paramedics in the outer office. She wanted to scream at them to leave but her vocal cords refused to work.

She smelled them as soon as they entered the room. There were two of them. One male, one female, old paper, nutmeg, cotton, lilac, antiseptic and latex lay heavy on the air. The hand holding hers was pulled away. Her eye was pried open and a bright light invaded the darkness. The female was talking to her. The male was talking to Sebastian and Trevor.

Sara forced her eyes closed. She turned her head. The light caused a terrible headache behind her eyes. She groaned.

They refused to leave her alone, in large part because of Trevor, for the next eighteen minutes.

They ran a multitude of test only to determine that she had a severe panic attack.

They advised that she go to the hospital. When she and Sebastian adamantly refused the female gave her a look that she interpreted as 'You're a fool'. Sara didn't care what the woman thought. She was not going to the hospital.

"I'll make sure she sees someone." Sebastian said at the same time as Trevor said, "I'll make sure she gets an appointment."

Sara glared at both of them.

The paramedic just nodded. They soon left. The room remained silent for a long moment. Trevor cleared his throat.

Sara stood. "I have to leave. I'm sorry uncle Trevor." She closed the distance between them and gave him a quick, vulnerable hug. "But I have to go." She tried to keep her scattered emotions out of her voice.

"I need you to sign some papers, Sara. I already have them drawn up." He told her. She glanced longingly at the door. He settled his but on the edge of the desk.

"I – I really just need time." She told him somberly.

"That's fine, glow-girl. You can take them with you. It will give you a chance to look them over." He paused. "Sara you're always welcome to come stay with me. Allie would love to see you. She said so this morning." He smiled invitingly.

"She has a place." Sebastian said his tone hard as he scrutinized Trevor.

Trevor only nodded. "If you need anything call me. I left all my contact information in the file." He glanced away from her long enough to retrieve a dark  manila file folder from the desk behind him.

He held out the file. A second passed, then two, followed by another before she lifted her hand and took the file with a trembling hand.

"Sebastian has my number." She told him trying to hold her emotions together. Sebastian, please give him my number. I need to - I want a minute alone. She nodded and mumbled "Excuse me." And walked out.