Chapter 44

“What’d you go and do, old man?” I asked, as I pulled up a chair beside him.

He tried to lift his left hand, but couldn’t. I picked it up and held it in both of mine. “Sorry,” Ben whispered.

“Nothing to be sorry for, Ben. You took me in when I had no one else. I owe you my life.” I kissed his hand and held it to my cheek.

“No,” he whispered again. “I owe you…mine.” I saw him struggle to get up, so I found the remote to raise the bed.

He continued, “I wanted to say…something…to you before I…”

“Okay, Uncle Ben.”

“I…love you, son. You’ve made me…proud.”

I closed my eyes and felt moisture on my cheeks. “I love you, too, Dad.” Because, that was what he was to me. My father. The one who’d taken a lost little human/beast and called me his own.

He smiled. “Everything is…yours. You and Tyler…can make that land fertile…again.”

“Sure thing,” I said.

“Thanks for giving my life…meaning, boy.” Ben looked at me one last time, and closed his eyes. Then he was gone.

I sat there, his hand in mine as I cried, wishing I could have more time with him, the man who’d saved me. I heard footsteps behind me as the medical staff came in, followed by Dr. Bronfeld. Ben was pronounced dead, officially, within a minute.

I left the room under a cloud of sorrow. I knew I gave answers to questions about Ben’s remains, but as I drove back to his house, now mine alone, I honestly couldn’t remember what I said. When I got out of the car, my beast howled in pain. I shifted, ripping my vomit-stained clothing to shreds and ploughed through the woods, anger and pain roiling within me.

Gone. Ben was gone, Tyler was in jail, and I was alone. 15

The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, a small affair attended by folks who’d known Ben for decades. Dr. Bronfeld also took time out of his schedule to attend. It was a beautiful ceremony. It took place on Ben’s land, and he was buried beside his wife in the small family plot behind the house.

After everyone went home, I sat in Ben’s rocking chair and reminisced about all the times we’d spent on this porch, rocking out, sassing each other back and forth. There was a hole in my heart where he used to be, and it would be a long time before I’d get over his death, if ever.

One thing could help, though, and that was if Tyler did, in fact, come up here after he’d served his time. I was hopeful, but life had to go on, whether or not he was here.

Ben’s lawyer, Mr. Hammett, had asked if he could stop by today to read the will. He’d be here shortly. As I thought about that, I saw swirls of dust coming up the road, which meant his arrival was imminent.

Mr. Hammett was reed thin, with a handlebar moustache that was his trademark. He got out of his car and walked up the porch. I rose and shook his hand. “I’m sorry for your loss, Felix. Ben was a pain in the ass, but a wonderful human being all the same.”

“Don’t I know it. Have a seat,” I said, gesturing to the other rocking chair where I usually sat.

“Thank you.” I pointed out the iced tea that I’d prepared for his arrival. He took a glass and drank some of it.

“Hot today, ain’t it?” he offered as he wiped his brow with a handkerchief.

“Summer’s always that way. Why don’t you go ahead and get it over with, Mr. Hammett?”

“Sure.” He took some documents out of his briefcase. “Ben left you all the land, the house, and a bunch of shares in Apple.” I knew he’d played the market from time to time, but Apple? I’d never have guessed.

“At his death, Ben Cotter was worth ten million dollars.” I choked on the iced tea.

“Say what now?”

“He’d always been a saving fool, and he believed in insurance, let me tell you. So, the policy, his bank account, his savings account. All told, not including the land, Ben died a rich man, and he left it all to you.”

Even in death, the man surprised me. “Well, fuck me sideways,” I muttered. What else was there to say?

“What was that?” he asked.

“Nothing. All right then. Well, thanks for letting me know. I’ll get in touch with you about how all this works, but right now, I just want some peace and quiet.”

“Understood.” Mr. Hammett gathered all his stuff together and stood. He finished his iced tea, then walked down the steps. “Ben loved you like a son, Felix. Remember that.”

I watched him get into his car and drive off down the lane.