Tag : crazy cat lady A Contest of Wills : Chapter 9 Bex had a rough couple of days , worrying about the land and the cats , trying to finish up some projects for her clients , and racking her brain to think of ways to make some extra money . Perhaps if she put up a flier at the community college advertising her services writing resumes ? As the weekend approached she even began thinking of people she knew who might be able to lend her money . On Saturday morning she had just taken a break from cleaning out the pens when she heard tires crunching on the gravel drive . With a sinking feeling she headed back toward the house . Sure enough there was the silver Mercedes , and Kyle was stepping out of the driver 's side . To Bex 's surprise , he was wearing jeans , a flannel shirt and work boots . He didn 't look like someone trying to dress up country - he looked like the real deal . The clothes were obviously well worn and there was now something about him that seemed familiar . She assumed it was simply because that was the way most of the men looked in the feed and hardware stores she frequented . " It 's not yours yet , " he said , and when she turned to walk away he said , " Wait . " She turned and looked at him without speaking . " I 'm sorry , " he said , " it 's my job . I 'm doing my job . But there 's no reason we have to be antagonistic . I did come by to make sure nothing permanent had been done , but I also wanted to try to learn a little about what you 're doing here , your relationship with the Szczepanskis , maybe try to understand why they would have left a virtual stranger a valuable piece of land . " She studied him for a moment , not sure whether or not to trust him . She knew she had nothing to hide , and besides there was a long day of work ahead of her . She could always use the extra hands . " Fine , " she said . " But if you 're going to stay you 're going to work . " He smiled . " That was the plan , " he said , " I wore my work clothes . " " So I see , " she said , trying to not show the appreciation she felt for him , and the annoyance she felt at herself . She was actually finding this man attractive ! He was the enemy , and she needed to keep reminding herself of that . Of course , Popeye did seem to like him . No , she couldn 't let her guard down . This man was trying to take her land . She led him toward what appears to be an animal pen , a stack of what looked like wood and wire frames , and a large roll of chicken wire . " O . k . , " she said , " we need to put this chicken wire on top of this pen . The minute I put a feral cat in it , it 's going to shoot straight up the side and go right out the top . " She put her hands on her hips . " Because people don 't build pens for feral cats . This pen held hunting dogs . They don 't climb up the sides . " She paused for a moment before she muttered under her breath , " of course they probably should . " She handed him a hammer and pointed to the roll of chicken wire . " Work , " she said . " We can talk while we work . " He grinned and took the hammer from her . " O . k . , " he said , " where are the nails ? " Kyle proved to be a hard worker . Bex was sure he wouldn 't be very good at it , but he handled the hammer like an expert . As she helped him spread the roll of wire across the top of the wooden frame of the pen , she talked to him . " The woman who runs the local cafe , Dot , her husband was a hunter . He built these pens himself , and he kept them on their land . He did a great job ; they 're all modular . You can create one pen , two pens , one really big pen - well you can see by the way they 're built . " She gestured to the stack of frames with the hammer . Bex reached into her pocket and pulled out a nail . Kyle was impressed with the way she expertly hammered it in - not like some girls he 'd seen , holding the hammer too close to the head . She swung it by the far end of the handle , letting the weight of the hammer do the work . " Dot 's husband died several months ago . " Bex was intent on her hammering and didn 't see the cloud that crossed quickly over Kyle 's face . " She called me up one day wanting me to come over and see if I could use some of her old doghouses . I went over and we were walking around talking . I had been thinking of ways I could bring feral cats on to the refuge , and then I noticed the pens . I asked her what they were for , and she told me her husband Sam had built them for his dogs . I asked her what she was going to do with them . She said she wasn 't sure . Their son had talked about taking them , but he lives four counties over and that 's a long way to transport them . Plus , he wasn 't so keen to come over and take them down . " Bex looked up quickly and returned his smile . " Basically , yes . I told her why I wanted them , and she really got a kick out of it . The idea of these pens , which had been built for hunting dogs , to be used to house wild cats . So I borrowed a trailer , hitched it to my truck and went over there . " She paused to pull the wire over the top of the pen . " No , I 'm not quite that good , " she answered . " I have a handyman , Ronnie , and a young girl Lindsey who come over occasionally to help me out . They were with me , and between the three of us - well , Dot tried to help some too - we dismantled every last one , piled it on that trailer , and crawled our way back here . " " Not quite a month . " She looked up and saw his surprise . " It 's a big job , and I can 't afford to have Ronnie and Lindsey come out that often . When they do , I need more immediate help - like getting the cats wormed or rounded up for the vet . Ronnie 's done a lot of clearing of trees and brush . So far , we 've only had time to put up this one , and I 've got to get it finished before we start any more . " They worked for another couple of hours , and soon the pen had a sturdy top on it . Kyle then helped Bex nail a tarp over the back half of the pen so there would be shelter during the rain . When they finished putting a couple of old doghouses inside , Kyle was ready for a break . " I 'm not used to working like this , " he said , wiping the sweat off his forehead with his arm . Bex smiled , " It 's good for you . Come on inside and we can grab something to drink . " Bex felt warmth spread up her face as she saw her home through his eyes . " Well , " she said forcefully , stepping in and inviting him to follow with a gesture , " it isn 't some fancy New York penthouse , but it 's home for me . I need to save every penny for the cats , and I don 't splurge much on myself . " So I see , " he murmured . He took off his cap and set it on the sofa , and then walked back toward the bathroom . " Mind if I wash my hands ? " he asked as he stepped in the bathroom and turned on the faucet . Bex 's eyes widened . " No , " she said , " and aren 't you right at home . Like you knew right where that bathroom was . " Kyle dried his hands and walked into the kitchen smiling . " Well , " he said , " it 's not like there 's a lot of choices . " Bex smiled and handed him a glass of iced tea . He looked at Bex and his eyes grew serious . " How long are you going to have to live like this ? " he asked . He thought about Cassandra , and how she would react to having to spend even five minutes in the trailer . Although it was clean and fresh , everything was second hand and looked it . " Don 't you want some nice things for yourself ? " For a brief moment she looked tired . " No , " she said , " and even if I did it wouldn 't matter . The cats need me . " He took a step closer . " And what do you need ? " he asked . For a long moment they stood staring at each other . When a sharp knock sounded on the door Bex jumped . Without answering Kyle she walked over to the door and opened it . " Hey Ronnie , " she said , " I 'm on my way . " She stood back and held the door open . Kyle reached it in two steps , and headed for his car . " Hey , " he said to the middle - aged man standing at the foot of the steps . Ronnie just nodded , and if he was surprised to see either Kyle or the Mercedes , he didn 't show it . Kyle turned as Bex came down the steps . " Thanks again , " she said , holding out her hand , " you were a huge help . " As he took her hand to shake it she turned to the other man . " Ronnie , you 're never going to believe all we 've gotten done ! " The other man just nodded slowly . Kyle got into his car and left . Share this : TwitterFacebookGoogleLike this : Like Loading . . . Posted on September 18 , 2016September 18 , 2016Categories A Contest of Wills , UncategorizedTags cat rescue , cats , crazy cat lady , creative writing , fiction , romanceLeave a comment on A Contest of Wills : Chapter 9 A Contents of Wills : Chapter 8 On her way home , Bex stopped at the feed store to pick up some cat food and some of the environmentally friendly disinfectant she used to clean the cats pens and the sickroom . As she walked in , she was greeted by a man in his 30s who had unkempt hair and was sweeping the floor . " Wow , that 's really good Johnny , what a great hug ! " Bex backed up a step and smiled up into his innocent blue eyes . He beamed at her . " Yeah , mom and I have been practicing . She tells me that I don 't know my own strength , and it 's hard to learn my own strength , but I 'm doing it ! " " Bird seed ? " An incredulous voice was followed by a small woman in her 50s with gray hair . " You got a place full of cats and you want to invite the birds to come visit ? What are you , anti - bird ? " " Oh honey , good job ! " Dot 's demeanor changed completely with her son . Her pride showed as she reached out and touched his arm . " But remember , you can only hug the people you know who have already told you it 's o . k . " Dot shook her head . " Oh , some fancy city woman came in here the other day looking for something . Of course as soon as he saw her , Johnny asked if he could help her find something . She just looks him up and down like he smells bad and tells him ' no thank you . ' So then he asks if he can give her a hug . I guess he just assumed she 'd say yes so he started walking toward her with his arms out . Well , her scream like to have brought in the entire town . I had to explain to Johnny that some people just don 't understand wanting to be hugged . " Bex shook her head . " Oh no , Dot , I 'm really sorry that happened . I 'm sure that must have upset Johnny . " Bex couldn 't help but smile at the thought . " Sure sounds like she needed something , though . " Dot smiled back at her . " Amen to that ! And Johnny is just fine . It really didn 't upset him . He just didn 't understand why she shouldn 't want a hug . " Bex finished up with her purchases , and Johnny carried everything out to the old pickup . As she left Bex gave him another hug and told him , " I love your hugs Johnny , don 't give away too many because I always want you to have one for me , o . k . ? " Johnny nodded and waved as Bex drove away . After a quick stop at the grocery store , Bex headed home . Ronnie and Lindsey were already gone , and it was turning into a nice evening . Bex poured herself a glass of the cheap red wine she 'd gotten at the store , and headed outside to enjoy the stillness and the quiet . The first to arrive was Popeye . He jumped into her lap , and reached up his head to rub under her chin . He began purring almost immediately , and while he was rubbing she could feel the skin underneath her chin starting to get wet from his drool . She laughed and pulled him up under his front legs so she could look at him . His sweet face looked back at her , his one eye permanently closed where he 'd lost it , the other yellow / green eye looking back at her . " Hey mister , " she said , bringing him against her for a hug . " I hope your day has gone better than mine . " As she was talking , a black cat with a white chest and paws jumped up on the table and came over to her . She reached out a hand to pet him . " Well hello there , Fred , " she said . " Looks like I 'm going to have a full house tonight . " Several of the other cats were heading their way , lured by the sound of her voice in the evening air . She sat , slowly sipping her wine as the day slipped away into night . Just before it got really dark , she gave the cats a few final pets , stood and stretched , and headed back to her trailer . The next morning she woke up feeling discouraged . Her visit to the library the previous day hadn 't been much help . Trying to read through the legal language and understand what the laws meant had made her brain dizzy . She was going to need help , but who would help her ? The phone ringing interrupted her thoughts . Assuming it was one of her clients she answered on the second ring . " Popeye didn 't ruin your shoe . In fact , Popeye showed extremely good manners by using the litter box . If you stuck your foot in someone 's toilet , you would hardly blame them for ruining your shoes , would you ? " There was a slight pause at the other end of the phone . " Yes , I suppose it is . Actually they were a gift . And if I 'm being perfectly honest , not one of my favorites . " Bex heard a small sigh on the other end of the line . " Ms . Miller , I really do admire your dedication , believe me , but this is simply a battle you can 't win . If I read the situation correctly , and believe me Ms . Miller I make a great deal of money by correctly reading situations , you 're barely getting by as it is . You simply can 't afford the time to try and do your own research , nor do you have the resources to hire someone to help you . " Bex was silent . Of course he was right . She couldn 't afford the time to do her own research , plus it was obvious that he was a very good attorney . Despite the fact that she knew almost everyone in town , the Szczepanskis had been well respected and it was likely their daughter would be too , despite the general gossip that she was a spoiled , lazy young woman . " Uneducated ! " Bex was furious , furious with herself for being near tears , stunned at the amount of money he could command , and furious he felt he had to throw that in her face . " Listen to me you pompous , arrogant , morally bankrupt jerk , I don 't care how much money your time is worth , or your shoes or your stupid car , this is my land , and I will not just give it up ! " and she slammed down the phone . Breathing heavily she sank down in a chair and blinked back tears . What was she going to do ? Well , there was one thing for sure . She wasn 't about to just give up . She 'd figure out something . She went into the kitchen and started brewing some coffee . " Just one cup , " she promised herself , since she had to go out , as she did every day , and take care of the cats . She sipped slowly at her coffee , and when she finished she sat in her chair awhile , thinking . After checking on Dinah , she got ready for her day . Maybe some hard work would give her subconscious time to solve the problem . Share this : TwitterFacebookGoogleLike this : Like Loading . . . Posted on September 5 , 2016September 5 , 2016Categories A Contest of Wills , UncategorizedTags cat rescue , cats , crazy cat lady , creative writing , fiction , romanceLeave a comment on A Contents of Wills : Chapter 8 A Contest of Wills : Chapter 7 Once the cats were finished , Bex headed back to the house and ran into Ronnie , her handyman . She had been able to earn a little extra money in the last month , and was able to hire Ronnie to do some of the heavier work she couldn 't handle . He was putting together some outbuildings and installing cat doors so she would have more room . She left him to his work and went inside . Bex checked her email to see if she 'd gotten any responses . As she thought , so far there was no one who knew of an attorney who could help her or would be willing to work for free . She made a quick call to one of her clients to confirm that the brochure she had created was ready to go to the printer , and then called the printer to get the job started . She sat back and wondered what to do next . She tried searching on the Internet for information about wills and how contesting a will worked , but found the information to be too general and vague . She decided that she had enough time to head over to the county court complex and visit the law library . She wasn 't sure what to look for , but thought maybe she could find a way to slow down the proceedings as much as possible . Didn 't they do that on television ? File motions to continue or something like that ? Not that she thought TV would be anything like real life , but occasionally there had to be a grain of truth in there somewhere , didn 't there ? After several fruitless hours looking through law books she didn 't completely understand , Bex left the courthouse feeling discouraged . She needed to go have a chat with Linda , so she backed out of the parking lot and drove down Main Street through the center of Byrd 's Mill . She arrived at The Brew - Ha and walked through the front door . The jangling of the bell on the door brought her friend out to the front . " Not much . " Bex tried to smile , but knew it wasn 't very convincing . Linda 's dog Fubu came from behind the counter and approached Bex , tail wagging . She smiled as she knelt down to pet the dog . " Hey Fu , how 's it going ? Come out to smell all the good kitty stink on me ? " She smiled up at Linda as the dog buried his nose her shirt and began sniffing deeply . Fubu loved it when Bex came to visit , because she always smelled like the cats and outdoors . " O . k . , Fu , that 's enough , " Linda waved the dog away so Bex could stand up . The two women looked at each other . Linda squinted for a moment then said , " Right . Coffee . Strong . " And disappeared behind the counter . " What a jerk , " she said when Bex finished telling her about her first meeting with Kyle . " Lawyers . They 're all the same if you ask me . You can 't trust them . " Bex smiled at her friend . This was one of the reasons she loved Linda . Although several years older than Bex , she inherently understood many of the " rules " Bex had for good friendship . This was one of them . Bex knew that Linda 's father had been an attorney , and her sister , stilling living in Seattle , was an attorney . " Yeah , well , " Linda took a sip of coffee and looked away . " Listen , Bex , I can ask my dad or my sister about this , but you know it isn 't their area of expertise . And I 'm guessing the laws in Washington are different from the laws in Virginia . Maybe they can recommend someone though . Do you want me to ask ? " Bex shook her head and took a sip of coffee . " Thanks , but that 's part of the problem . I just can 't afford to hire anyone . And I can 't afford to keep going to the courthouse because I need to keep my paying clients . I just don 't know what I 'm going to do . " She sighed and looked down at her coffee cup . She could almost feel the struggle the woman across from her was having in her attempt to find a way to help . Bex looked up and smiled , and this time it was genuine . " I 'm so glad I have a good friend like you to talk to though . I don 't know how I 'd get through it without that . " Linda smiled and seemed to relax a little . Share this : TwitterFacebookGoogleLike this : Like Loading . . . Posted on August 22 , 2016September 5 , 2016Categories UncategorizedTags cat rescue , cats , crazy cat lady , creative writing , fiction , romanceLeave a comment on A Contest of Wills : Chapter 7 A Contest of Wills : Chapter 6 By the next afternoon Bex had gone from being angry to being worried . Although her temper could get the best of her , once she calmed down she knew there would be a fight ahead of her , and she had no idea how she would prepare for it . She had spent that morning emailing some of her clients to see if anyone knew of an attorney who could help her . She wasn 't hopeful , but someone might know of someone who could help . At 3 : 00 Lindsey showed up to help her worm the cats . Lindsey attended the local high school and would be starting her senior year in a couple of months . Her dream was to go to Virginia Tech and become a veterinarian . Although she had a job with the vet in town , she came out once in awhile to help Bex with some of the cats , and Bex was always grateful for an extra pair of hands . And after a sleepless night , she was grateful for the extra ears as well . " Wow , he sounds like a total jerk , " Lindsey said as she forced open Ginger 's mouth and popped in a pill . She held the cat 's mouth closed and gently petted her throat to help the pill go down . She put Ginger on the floor and straightened up . " Are we doing the feral pen next ? " Bex sighed . She wasn 't sure she was quite ready for that , but it needed to be done . " Did we get everyone out here ? " she asked . Lindsey looked around the small room at the cats milling on the floor . " Let 's see , I just finished Ginger , you did Fred , and I think we got Popeye , Princess and Bugsy . What are you going to do about Dinah ? " Bex shook her head . " Let 's just leave her for now . She still seems to be agitated and stressed out , and had some wicked diarrhea yesterday . I 've got an appointment for her to see Dr . Baxter at 4 : 30 , and I don 't want to give her anything until after we get back . " Bex smiled . " That 's a good question . But I guess just because someone puts something in their will , it doesn 't mean it automatically happens . Someone else can come along and say they didn 't mean to do it , or they were under the influence of someone , or even that they were blackmailed . Or sometimes people just aren 't very happy they didn 't get something they expected , which is what happened here . And really , I can 't say that I totally blame Tiffany . She doesn 't know me - we 've never even met - and here her parents have left me a whole bunch of land that she thinks of as belonging to her . " Bex paused for a moment . " I just wish now that I 'd had a chance to meet her sooner . I 'm not even sure if her parents told her I was living out here . " Bex laughed at the younger girl 's questions . " Well , it was really kind of an odd situation . I had just moved back in with my parents after . . . , well , anyway I was living with my folks and had gone to the Pet Palace to see if I could sell them some services , maybe create some brochures or a newsletter . You know , I was trying to get them for a client . Anyway , when I got there they had all these cages out front with cats in them that they were trying to adopt out . I was just looking at all those kitties and it made me so sad . " " As I was standing there , this older woman came up next to me . She said , ' Isn 't it a shame they have no one who wants them ? ' I looked at her and said , ' Oh , I want them , it 's a matter of where I would keep them . ' She laughed and we started talking . I don 't know why , but she was so easy to talk to . I started telling her how I would love to start a refuge for cats . A place where they could live out their lives and be cared for , even if they were feral . And then we talked a little bit about feral cats , how it 's very hard to relocate them , and how most of the time the best thing you can do is a trap , neuter , release program . But that I wanted to do more than that . " Bex smiled at the memories she was reliving . " So she asked me what I thought I would need for something like that . I told her the first thing I 'd need is a lot of land , and then a place to live . I told her that I was just back in town and trying to get some freelance writing jobs , but at that point it wasn 't enough to keep me going . She asked me a lot of questions about shelters for the cats , vet care and food . She was really interested . We kept talking , and the next thing I know she 's inviting me to lunch with her and her husband the following week . " " Kate , yes . I met Bill when we had lunch in town , and he was just as delightful . It was obvious that Kate had already talked to him about the land . He told me that there was about 20 acres they hadn 't used in quite awhile , and that there was a little trailer set up on it that I could live in . For free . Can you imagine ? " The teenager just shook her head . " It turned out that the trailer was in pretty good condition , and mostly just needed a lot of clean up . And of course a lot of the land had to be cleared . Fortunately that big outbuilding was already here , so once I put in the cat door it was just a matter of getting the cats out here . I was able to get a satellite dish for Internet so I could keep freelancing , and then it was just some hard work and elbow grease to get where I am now . " " It really is , " Bex said and then laughed . " But Bill made me write a business plan and outline what I was going to do in terms of putting up shelters , how I 'd pay for food and vet bills , all that stuff . I didn 't realize it at the time , but what he was really doing was forcing me to be realistic . And I realized that I could do this , but it was going to be hard and I was going to have to sacrifice a lot . " She stopped walking and looked at Lindsey , all the smile gone from her face . " I had no idea they were leaving me land in their will , I really didn 't . We never talked about it . " She paused and said softly . " It was devastating to hear they 'd died . " " Right now ? " Bex smiled and put her hand on the teenager 's shoulder . " Right now we de - worm some cats that will not be at all happy about the situation . " Lindsey didn 't smile and was still looking worried . Bex unlocked the door to the outbuilding where the feral cats were currently penned . She said honestly , " I really just don 't know Lindsey , I 'm just going to have to take this one day at a time . " Share this : TwitterFacebookGoogleLike this : Like Loading . . . Posted on August 16 , 2016Categories A Contest of Wills , UncategorizedTags cat rescue , cats , crazy cat lady , creative writing , fiction , romanceLeave a comment on A Contest of Wills : Chapter 6 A Contest of Wills : Chapter 5 As Bex headed down the long drive to the trailer she called home , her spirits lifted . She stopped the truck in front of the two - bedroom unit and got out . She stood for a moment , breathing in the scent of the loblolly pines that surrounded her . She looked over the land and shook her head at all the work she had to do . There was a lot of clearing and clean up still to be done , and she knew she had a long way to go to turn this place into the refuge she had envisioned . And now there was more land available to her than before , thanks to the generosity of the Szczepanskis . She bowed her head for a moment and said a silent prayer blessing them , and wishing again that she could have paid her last respects . " Oh no , " she said , hurrying into the small spare bedroom where the cat she had picked up from the shelter yesterday had been quarantined . The cat was backed into a corner of the pen , eyeing Bex suspiciously . The small litterbox Bex had put in the pen was a mess . The cat had obviously had diarrhea and the mess , although amazingly confined to the small box , looked like it had partially dried on the sides of the box . Bex groaned but said to the cat , " It 's o . k . honey . I 'm so sorry you 're not feeling well . Let me change and I 'm going to get that all cleaned up for you . " After changing her clothes Bex grabbed some paper towels , disinfectant and a plastic trash bag from under her kitchen sink . Heading back into the spare room , she carefully and slowly opened the pen and removed the box , and then grabbed a pair of latex gloves she 'd gotten from the vet . " I 'll have this back for you in a jiffy , " she told the motionless cat . Bex carried everything down the front steps of the trailer and headed over to where the hose was hooked up , put on the gloves and got to work . She tried dumping the contents of the box into a plastic trash bag , but the litter and mess had dried and just stuck to the sides and the bottom of the box . Bex signed and began using the scoop to scrape the contents into the bag . She bent over so she could spread the bag open on the ground while she scraped the waste into it . As she was bent over working on the box , she felt the sun come out from behind a cloud and groaned as she felt the warmth starting to spread over her bent back . Normally , she would have been grateful for the warmth while working outside , but today she wasn 't anxious for the heat . She continued scraping the contents from the dirty litter box into a garbage bag , trying to ignore the stench from the contents . If it got much warmer , this job was going to be even worse than it already was . The cat thought about it for a moment , and Bex repeated a firm " No . " The cat sat and watched her , tail twitching , contemplating its next move . Bex turned back to the box . She scraped out the remaining contents and began to thoroughly clean the inside . When she was finished she threw all the used paper towels into the trash bag , peeled off the gloves and threw them in , and then tied up the plastic garbage bag and placed it in one of the garbage cans she used exclusively for cat waste . She hosed out the box and set it in the sun to dry , and then went inside the trailer to wash her hands . At this point she wasn 't worried about Popeye . The most he would do was go over and take a whiff , but the disinfectant would most likely keep him from getting too close , and he certainly wouldn 't use an empty box . " Ho - ly , " she whispered under her breath as the sliver Mercedes convertible came to a slow stop . " Who on earth could this be ? " She noted the New York license plates and felt a stab of apprehension as the driver unfastened his seat belt , stepped out of the car , took a quick look around , and mounted the steps to the trailer . He gave two hard knocks on the door . Bex opened the door cautiously , leaving the chain in place and taking in this stranger . He was tall , and wearing a suit and tie . He looked completely out of place in these surroundings , but didn 't seem in the least uncomfortable . He looked Bex up and down and then spoke . He gave her a smile that didn 't quite reach his eyes , and reached into his left - hand breast pocket . He handed her an envelope . Instinctively , she took it from him . He said , " O . k . , you 've been served . " He turned and started down the steps . He nodded his head toward the envelope in her hands . " It 's all there . " She looked down again and tore open the envelope . She read silently , her lips moving . When she finished , she looked up at him . " And just who the hell are you ? " " Yes , I am . As the card says , my name is Kyle Stephens , and I represent the estate of William and Katherine Szczepanski . More accurately , I am representing their daughter Tiffany . And I 've just served you a summons to appear at an upcoming hearing regarding the disposition of the estate . " Bex looked down at the card and again up at the man standing in front of her . " Yeah , I can read . But what does that mean ? " Bex frowned . She wasn 't sure what was going on , but she did know that she didn 't like feeling like a prisoner in her own home . She closed the door and unlatched the chain . When she opened the door she caught a moment of surprise on Kyle 's face and she had to smile . He must have thought she was closing the door in his face . He recovered quickly . As she opened the door to step out , he tilted his head slightly so he could see inside the trailer . She felt her face growing hot as he slowly took in the sparse furnishings . " Excuse me , " she said , as he was blocking the door . " I 'd like to talk about this outside if you don 't mind ? " He looked directly at her , and she felt her heartbeat quicken . His eyes were brown and so dark she couldn 't quite see the pupils . She straightened up and raised her eyebrows . He tipped back his head slightly and raised one eyebrow back . He then stepped out of the way so she could exit the trailer . She shut the door behind her , pushed past him and walked down the steps . He followed her and she stopped short of his car . She turned to look at him . She had to tilt her head back slightly . He was standing with the sun behind him , and she found herself squinting . Raising her hand to block out the sun she stared up at him without speaking . Bex could feel her face getting hot . " The Szczepanskis left this land to me ! It was for me to start a rescue facility and that 's what I 'm doing . They cared about this land and didn 't want it turned into condos and strip malls . I know Bill thought having a refuge was a little odd , but Kate cared about these cats as much as I do , and she told me she wanted to be sure I was able to keep going with what I started here . That 's why they let me live on this land in the first place ! " " Well , " he said , " that may be , but the original arrangement was for 20 acres and this trailer . A far cry from 100 acres of prime land with full access rights to the rest . " He looked around and Bex had no doubt he was taking in every detail . " And from what I can see , this doesn 't look like much more to me than some slightly offbeat woman living in a trailer with way too many cats . " " I 've just started and I 'm still working on it . I 've got to put together shelters , which costs money , and in the meantime the cats have still got to eat , and believe it or not the vet expects to be paid . I 've got a very sick cat inside , and that 's taking time and money . I 've gotten a couple of people to volunteer , but this kind of thing doesn 't just happen overnight . " " I see . " His demeanor suddenly seemed to change and he dropped his arms . He looked at her with a genuine smile , and she could see concern in his eyes . Or maybe what passed as concern for him . " Look , " he said reasonably , " I 'm sure you don 't want to get into a court battle over this . It would be time consuming and expensive , and it doesn 't seem like you currently have the resources at your disposal for that . I 'm really here to try and settle this amicably . I 'd like to offer you a settlement for the land in exchange for you agreeing to give up any interest in it you might have . " She inhaled to respond , but he kept talking in his smooth , even , calm tone . " And trust me , it 's highly unlikely that you 'll be able to defend yourself in court . I 'm pretty sure I can keep this will from being entered into probate , and have the judge ban you from the property until we get the matter settled . Which could be years . And then you 'll end up without a settlement or the land . I 'd just like to expedite this whole process so I can get back home . " She looked at his car , and then up at him . " A settlement . Money in other words . You want to buy me off . Well , I don 't have to listen to anything . The answer is no . I need this land for the refuge , and unless you plan on giving me enough money to buy land somewhere else I don 't plan on doing that . Not to mention the 26 cats that now call this place home , and last but not least I will not let Bill and Kate down by just giving this land to someone who will sell it to the first developer that comes by . " Kyle 's smile vanished and he straightened up . " That 's fine , " he said , " if you 'd prefer to walk away with nothing I 'm just as happy with that . I 'll get my client her land and save her money . And maybe you and your cats can all find another trailer you can call home . I think there might be a vacancy near the landfill . " Kyle stood his ground and smiled down at her . " It 's not your land , " he said . " Not yet . And I 'm guessing not ever . I was hoping you 'd be reasonable , but I should have realized that anyone who would live in a trailer surrounded by cats and filth would have no sense of reason . " With a last condescending smile he turned to go . Bex wasn 't sure when Popeye had come over and used the ground behind Kyle as his litter box . She wasn 't even sure why he would have done that - a cat outdoors was highly unlikely to defecate in an open area . She was pretty sure that Popeye actually had a very good idea of what was going on and how upset she was , and it was his way of making a statement . No matter the reason , when Kyle turned to leave and put his foot in the middle of the mess Popeye had left , Bex couldn 't contain her laughter . " Hmmmm , no , I don 't think so , " she answered , looking at him defiantly . He stood and looked at her for a long moment , then walked over to his car . He opened the door and sat down sideways in the seat . Then he turned and started the engine . When he drove away Bex sat on the gravel and laughed until the tears were running down her face . There , sitting in her driveway , was one very expensive looking brown shoe , covered in cat poop . Share this : TwitterFacebookGoogleLike this : Like Loading . . . Posted on August 7 , 2016August 7 , 2016Categories A Contest of Wills , UncategorizedTags cat rescue , cats , crazy cat lady , creative writing , fiction , romanceLeave a comment on A Contest of Wills : Chapter 5 A Contest of Wills : Chapter 4 Bex Miller had a lot of work to do , but first she needed some caffeine . A cup of Joe and a nice long talk with a good friend . She pushed open the door to The Brew - Ha and breathed in the smell of freshly ground coffee beans . At 10 : 30 , the morning rush had passed and her friend Linda , also the owner , came out from the back to the counter , wiping her hands on a towel . An Australian Shepherd followed and bounded over to Bex , tail wagging furiously . " Well hey there , " Linda greeted Bex , " I don 't usually get to see you during the day like this . It 's a real treat ! " She stopped and took another look at her friend . " What 's up honey ? You look upset and you 're all dressed up . What 's going on ? Fubu , get down ! " The dog ducked it 's head and looked up at Bex , who smiled and rubbed his head . " It 's o . k . Fubu , you 're not used to me wearing nice clothes . " She walked to counter and gave her friend a half smile . " Do you have a little time ? I just need to talk . " Bex sat in one of the plush armchairs toward the back of the store , Fubu curling up on the rug at her feet . Linda appeared a moment later with two steaming cups and sat opposite her friend , tucking her legs under her . She took a sip of her coffee and looked at Bex expectantly . " So what 's up ? " Bex sighed and turned to look out the window . After a moment she turned and looked at her friend 's concerned face . " The funeral was today , " she said . " This morning actually . " She looked down into her cup and said softly , " Actually , right now . " Linda leaned forward and put her hand on Bex 's knee . " Oh honey , I 'm so sorry . I know they meant a lot to you . But why aren 't you there ? You obviously planned to go . " Bex looked up at her friend and fought back tears . " I did go . I got there and when I got out of my car Bob Taylor walked over to talk to me . He said he was really sorry , but that the Szczepanki 's daughter , Tiffany , didn 't want me at the funeral . " " What ? ! ? " Linda 's expression reflected how Bex had felt when Bob told her she wasn 't welcome . " But why on earth not ? What is wrong with that girl ? " Bex shook her head . " Bob said for some reason they read the will early - and that when the will got read , she just lost it . She 's mad . She 's mad at her parents and she 's mad at me . I guess she 's really just kind of mad at the world . " Bex signed and took another sip of coffee . " Well , you know that I 've been living in that trailer out on the land her parents own , right ? " Linda nodded . " Yes , " she said , " I remember that Mrs . Szczepanski wanted you to be able to start your cat refuge , so they let you use that land . " Bex nodded , and then continued . " Yeah , but what we didn 't know was that they recently changed their will and left 100 acres of that land and the trailer to me . " She looked at Linda to see how her friend would react . Linda didn 't disappoint her . She sat back in her chair , eyes wide , mouth open . " I know , " Bex said , " it 's crazy . But the thing is , I actually do feel like that land is mine , and that I should continue the work I 've started . But Tiffany is furious and plans to contest the will . " Bex shrugged . " I don 't know . I mean , at first I kind of felt bad . It must be upsetting to have your parents leave a valuable piece of land to someone who 's not even in the family . But then , well , I don 't know , I started thinking about it and really , how much land does she need ? I know that Kate believed in the work I was doing , and the last time they came out and visited they were really pleased . And now , with the way she 's acting , I don 't feel bad at all . " Linda reached down to rub Fubu 's ears . " Well , " she said slowly , " it sounds to me like the Szczepanskis knew what they were doing and wanted you to have that land . How much more is there ? " Bex shrugged , " I 'm not sure , I think there 's over 200 acres left . " " Oh for pity sake ! " Linda put her coffee cup on the table and folded her arms . " That 's plenty of land ! What does she want it all for anyway ? " Bex smiled and said , " Seriously ? Linda , it took one day for a developer to contact me about buying that land . It 's worth a lot of money . " Bex laughed . " That 's really not the point . Anyway , the developer told me that based on zoning restrictions and access rights , the acreage left to me was the most valuable from a development perspective . The other land is almost worthless without my 100 acre parcel . " Bex was quiet for a minute . " Well , " she said , " I don 't think they wanted that land turned into condos and strip malls . Bill was a real advocate for keeping the county rural , and my guess is they were worried that Tiffany would sell the land . But they knew that I wanted it for something else , something that means more to me than money . " Bex smiled at her friend . " Yes , but I can 't buy another piece of land and set it up like what I have now . And I 've already got 26 cats out there . " Linda nodded and the two women smiled at each other . Bex 's smile grew wider as she stood . " You 're right , " she said , " and I think that might be the part that makes Tiffany the maddest of all . " She sighed and said , " Thanks for the coffee , and for talking . I really do feel better . But I need to go , I 've got a lot to do . " Linda stood up and gave her a hug . Fubu rose , wagging his tail and followed Bex to the door . Bex turned and smiled . " I know , " she said , " and I can 't thank you enough for that . But for now I 've still got to make enough money to feed myself and 26 cats . " With a smile she let go of the door and headed down the sidewalk . Share this : TwitterFacebookGoogleLike this : Like Loading . . . Posted on July 30 , 2016Categories A Contest of Wills , UncategorizedTags cats , crazy cat lady , creative writing , fiction , romanceLeave a comment on A Contest of Wills : Chapter 4 A Contest of Wills : Chapter 3 It was a clear day in Manhattan , and Kyle was actually enjoying the view of Central Park from his living room window . It was rare that he took a moment to just look out and actually see what was there , instead of being distracted by problems at work . He began to wonder if he really needed to go into the office today when he heard the phone ring behind him . He ignored it , and felt a slight stab of irritation when he heard Cassandra pick it up . He really needed to find a graceful way to get back his key ; her proprietary attitude toward his apartment , his belongings , and in fact he himself , was beginning to grate on him . He listened to her smooth , polished voice as she spoke to the caller . " It 's a woman , " she said coldly , " she says her name is Tiffany and you know who she is . " She didn 't try to hide the displeasure in her voice , nor did she cover the receiver , ensuring the caller would hear her ugly remarks and hard tone . Kyle frowned slightly and took the phone . " That was rude , " he said , not bothering to cover the phone himself . Cassandra pulled herself up to her full height and just glared at him . He turned his back on her and spoke into the phone . " Yes ? " He listened a moment , the frown fading from his face , leaving him expressionless . " Yes , o . k . I 'll leave this afternoon after I make a few calls . I should be there late tonight . I 'll see you then . " He paused for a moment , and his face softened just slightly . " I know , me too . But it 'll be fine . We 'll figure it out when I get there . " He hung up the phone and stood staring down at it . He turned and looked into the obviously displeased face of his girlfriend . To say Cassandra Sanchez was beautiful would be an understatement . Kyle remembered the first time he asked the model out ; he couldn 't believe she 'd said yes . Now he only wondered why , after a first date where she 'd done little more than talk about herself , he 'd kept asking . She was beautiful , yes , but she was also ambitious , spoiled and selfish , and more often than not Kyle simply found her irritating . He wasn 't sure how it had happened , but he could no longer see the beautiful face that so many people coveted on the cover of magazines ; over time she had become more and more unattractive in his eyes . Cassandra was practically spitting as she spoke . " What do you mean you 'll be there tonight ? Would you like to explain that one to me ? We 've got that gallery opening and I can 't possible go alone . " Kyle just stared at her , expressionless . Inexplicably , the thought that popped into his head was to ask for his key , so she could no longer let herself into the apartment . But the timing was wrong , and Kyle prided himself on having an uncanny knack for timing . He would have to wait for his key . He sighed . " Bill and Kate Szczenpanski , " he said , pronouncing the name slowly , " Tiffany 's parents , were in a car accident and they , " he paused for a moment , then shook his head , " they 're dead . I have to go to Virginia , " he paused again and looked around the room , running his hand along the back of his head , " to take care of some legal matters . Their assets were quite valuable . " Kyle shook his head , starting to get impatient . " Apparently she doesn 't have anyone else to call , and I 'm familiar with the family and the estate , o . k . ? Look , I 've got to go , her parents have died ; can 't you accept that and feel bad for her ? Think about someone else ? " Cassandra 's eyes narrowed . " Give me a break Kyle . What , did you have a thing with her or something ? How long have you known her ? " Kyle felt something break in his chest . " It 's none of your business , " he snapped . Cassandra 's eyebrows shot up , and she crossed her arms across her chest . He sighed , closing his eyes . In his line of work , emotional outbursts were something he simply could not afford , and he prided himself on staying in control . He needed to calm down before he lost his temper . " Fine , " she said , dropping on the couch , her legs resting over the arm . She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV . Kyle took a deep breath and then spoke . " I 'm sorry , " he said , " I 've known her a long time , o . k . ? There 's never been anything between us , it 's just that she has no one else to turn to and she needs help sorting through the estate . I shouldn 't be gone long , but I might have to make a few trips back and forth . " Kyle knew that she wasn 't going to let him off the hook , but he didn 't care . He had more important things to worry about , and he needed to get ready to leave . He walked toward the bedroom and called back over his shoulder , " Just go the gallery opening with someone else . I 'm sure there 's a dozen people that would love to go with you . " Kyle walked back out , pulling off his tie . " Cassandra , I don 't know what you want from me . I 've got to go . " She turned her head to look at him and gave him a one shoulder shrug . " So go . " They stared at each other for a moment , and then Kyle returned to his bedroom and Cassandra snapped off the TV and stood . She grabbed her purse and called out , " I 'm leaving . " She waited , but when there was no response from the bedroom she walked out , slamming the front door as she went . In the bedroom Kyle sat on the edge of his bed . His empty suitcase sat open next to him , but he wasn 't packing . He sat on the edge of the bed for long time , then sniffed and wiped his eyes . He got up and began looking through his closet , trying to decide what he would need for the trip .