Chapter 58: Called it the will.
"Hello, Christian."
He only shied away, hiding behind his mother, biting on his lower lip. William found himself in awe at the sight. "I'd really love if we can be friends.." William added.
"Mommy, I do not quite like him." Christian whispered to his mother, it was enough for William to hear.
"Why?" Panashe questioned.
"... he is big and scary... sometimes people think he is my father."
Panicking Panashe quickly turned to look at him. With a pout on his lips, he only looked at his fumbling fingers, something his mother did when she was also nervous. "Which people?"
Christian kept quiet.
"What if I was your father?" William questioned, which only made Panashe look at him disapprovingly but he continued.
"Can you play ball?" Christian shyly asked.
"Ofcourse." William grinned.
"Do you like fishing like my grandpa?"
"Sometimes but—"
"Can you ride a horse like my grandpa?"
"I can try..."
"Do you like reading the morning paper like my grandpa?"
"I suppose.."
"Do you love my mommy?"
"With all my heart." He said without thinking after these words had fallen out of his lips. He started to panic, he did not want to quickly force himself on her. William did not mean to imply that.
"Why do you ask?"
"If you love my mommy then you aren't my father. Grandpa said my father was foolish and he did not care about us. Grandpa said he gave my mommy more work so that I could die." With a sigh. "I miss my grandpa."
This really hurt him beyond words. Joshua Gallagher has butchered his child with insignificant thoughts before he could do anything about it. Panashe felt lumbered and yet again, it made her question just how much did her son know.
"I love your eyes..." William decided to compliment the boy after the sour exchange. He shyly smiled and kept still behind his mother.
"What do we say Christian?"
Shrugging he then replied. "Thank you, Mr. Bloody William."
"Just William, sweetie." She corrected him but he shook his head. "Grandpa said it's bloody William."
"Bloody is a very bad word and maybe grandpa was a little upset and cross."
"No, Grandpa is never cross!" Christian said a little defensive. Panashe put her lips in a straight line, knowing no one could tell Christian anything about his grandpa. She was glad that he finally understood the concept of death and never returning even though there were moments when he cried or when he missed his grandpa. Unfortunately with everything happening and how he was getting treated... he missed his grandpa and thought 'if my grandpa was here this would not be happening'
"I have to get going, the lawyer is coming in today. Thank you for allowing me to even be his friend for now." William said softly, Christian had went to sit on the bed, pretending to read his story book, he was eyeing William with the corner of his eye. He was eyeing the way this man, looked at his mother. He felt threatened, no one had ever looked at his mother that way. He was intimidating, Christian noticed how with every step and move, his cologne left a mark. Even when he walked by, he could always tell that it was Bloody William's Cologne. It came even more as a surprise how he was willing to come this side. His mom had told him the white people preferred to stay on their side and so did black people. Christian thought Bloody William was very handsome, he had to have had the sharpest jawline Christian had ever seen. Christian noticed his eyes but never anything of it.
"It's alright, he will eventually warm up to you." Panashe replied. Not wanting to leave, William dreaded the reading of the Will, it only meant disputes would arise. Something, he was really not in the mood for lately. The night before, he had comforted Panashe, as she cried she fell asleep on his chest. He decided not to wake up. Knowing it could have been the last time, he properly held her this way in the privacy of his room. She slept so peacefully, he was content with just watching her sleep. She had this aura that made him weak on his knees and gasping for air. She looked so precious nothing had changed, she was still that innocent girl. Oblivious, he rubbed circles on her hand. He could only think she had been through so much. William did not pressure her into talking. If she never wanted to speak of it, he respected that and would never ever mention it in her presence and absence. She had perfectly made it clear that they could never be. She explained that she would try and bring him slowly in Christian's life but as for herself, she would never make the mistake of thinking a fairytale could actually happen or that it exists. Many things such as she would never settle for relationship in secret. She did not have time to be running around like a teenager.
"Well, I wish you all the best with your Will reading."
"Thank you. Uhm Christian, I will be leaving now?"
"K." The boy replied.
"Christian, do not be rude..."
"But mommy now everyone will just make more fun of me because he is here. They will think he is my father." He frowned.
"And what's the matter with that?"
"He is not my father."
"How do you think your father looks like..."
"He is not... white!"
"But are you white?"
"No, I'm an albino. Agnes said she knows other Albino children who look exactly like myself. I suppose, my father might be a gypsies."
William and Panashe only shared a look. She then whispered... "I told you, he is going through an identity crisis."
"Do not worry yourself, it will take time but I'm willing to work for it." William whispered back. Panashe nodded assuming he was talking about their son but he was talking about the both of them. She felt at ease knowing that she had made it clear that they could never be. He seemed to have understood what she meant. She really appreciated him being the comfort she needed. Awfully regretting it, she wouldn't allow for a emotional slip up. Panashe has learnt to be without him, she would therefore continue doing so.
—
The lawyer was settled in his seat in front of everyone who was looking at him expectedly. The girls weren't present, it seemed they cared so little about their father's money. Nevertheless, Milton, Gerald, William And Lady Martha we're present.
"I reckon this is not everyone!" The lawyer added carefully looking the the list that had everyone's name written out.
"Yes, yes Mr. McGowan. Unfortunately Rachel, Kathleen And Cynthia are devoted wives and could not be present and ofcourse our vegetable brother Edwin died a while back but let us continue..." Master Milton said excitedly.
"Noted here that Panashe is to be present." Me. McGowan said with his spectacles right below his nose.
"That's absurd, she is a bloody slave!" Milton yelled.
With a sigh the lawyer replied. "It's your father's wishes not mine, do not shoot the messenger."
Gerald and Milton exchanged eye contact, she the negro was present it only meant she was getting something. Almost immediately Lady Martha told the housekeeper to call Panashe, the silence was horrid as they waited for Panashe, a little over ten minutes, she entered the room. Milton gave her a disgusting sneer. It was as if when she entered, she brought a contagious plague.
Standing in her corner, the lawyer then asked her to sit.
"Excuse me? Mr. McGowan she is coming from the plantations and she most probably has lice. It's best she stand—"
"Shut up, Milton!" William cursed.
"Sit down dear." Lady Martha assures her even with the eye, Master Milton had as if he wanted to strangle her to death. The long exhausting instructions and expectancy's were read out. Everyone was bored. They could not exactly skip it because it was important before anything. When Mr. McGowan stopped reading, Milton raised his head and muttered finally!
"I will start off in an orderly manor from the wife to the first born and so on."
"Perfect!" Milton replied.
"To my wife Martha, who has stood by me for so long and never left my side even as vile as I was. I leave the house in her name. It has and always was hers from the decor to the efforts you made, my dear Martha to make an empty extravagant mansion feel as homely as possible." Mr. McGowan read.
Lady Martha almost reared up, not because she loved him but the way he had said it. His reason for giving her this house, she loved it whole heartedly.
"I'm next!!" Milton added. Panashe sat shyly in her sit not saying a word.
"For my three sons Milton, Gerald and William Gallagher who only disappoint me and cause me headaches. I leave you the horses, I gave you each when you were kids. I can not falter, to think of anything else to give you besides our house dog. You could not wait for me to die, moreso one of you made my heart ache everyday for six years, left without a trace."
"THAT IS BULLSHIT, MY FATHER DID NOT LEAVE ME A BLOODY HORSE! WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH ONE HORSE. THAT GREEDY MAN, OF EVERYTHING HE OWNS, I get a bloody horse. I do not even want the horse, you can shove it down his grave with him." Milton stood up abruptly and started going back and fourth.
"Well that last line... has got to hurt." William chuckled. "...at least I get a dog and a horse right... wow."
"All that work for nothing." Gerald chuckled trying to decipher his anger. "Well, Mr. McGowan at least tell us he gave everything else to charity."
"He gave three plots of land in Africa to his daughters, it is to be shared amongst them. I will not read their part as they're not present."
Lady Martha was not surprised, she knew the outcome. "To my grandson Christian, who brightens up my day and never fails to make me laugh. To my little bugger, who loves to keep grandpa on his feet. Many people claim to love him but it's a false, the only person that genuinely loves and cares for me is Christian. Constantly reminds me every chance he gets. He deserves the world and so much more for the happiness he has always given me and the happiness he gave me in my last days. I only assumed I'd die old and alone... but not anymore. Christian never leaves my side. I know he will always be there. Furthermore I leave my whole estate to Christian Gallagher. The land I own all around the UK, the remaining land in Africa, the land in Australia. I give it all to my beloved grandson under the terms that he is to study at St Andrews Private boarding school one of the best, as per request, he will only obtain this wealthy after completing his studies at a competent Higher Education, University."
"You must be mistaken..." Milton said quickly.
"Please, allow me to do my job!"
"Well, I'm at a lose for words..." Gerald muttered. "Who would have thought? I expected William not the little boy but I suppose fair enough that we all got one horse and get to share the dog."
"Shut up Gerald!" Milton muttered.
"I appreciate my horse." William chuckled with Gerald.
"You're only happy that it's your sons wealthy and you get to munch it on his behalf. Pathetic!"
"It's done, Milton! Stop being a pain in the neck and take your seat."
"Bloody hell not, I'd like to read that piece of paper myself!"
"I will go on to read the last part."
"Ofcourse go on Mr. McGowan."
"I never thought I'd be one of those people who did this but here I am. I know she deserves it and has worked hard for it. I hereby give Panashe her freedom."
Too many surprises all at once. Never in her wildest dream did she ever think this would happen to her. With that Panashe fainted.