A Teenage Legacy
Their excitement settled to a low simmer, Emelina and Dez decided they should have a late afternoon snack before talking of any more plans. Dez called Cook from the car. “Just some fruit, cheese and crackers. Thanks Cook, we’re almost at the Estate. See you soon.”
Silence in the car…..for a few minutes. “I wonder if Digby knew about that strange provision in Michael’s will.” Em sat forward, grip-tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. “You know, I’ve always wondered about that track.” Dez rolled down her window, not looking toward anything specific, barely noticing the passing countryside. “It’s not odd, Dez.” Dez turned to her sister. “Of course it is ~ at least it’s always seemed so to me. I like it, it just seemed odd.”
“You’ve never been on other estates before, have you, Dez?” Keeping her eyes on the road, Emelina freed one hand to pat her sister on her shoulder. “Well, if it hadn’t been for you I wouldn’t have been on any estate! Not exactly my circles, Em.”
“I suppose not ~ here we are!” Parking by the kitchen door, Emelina picked up her briefcase and stepped down to the gravel. “Come on Dez, we shouldn’t keep Cook waiting. Maybe she’ll stop and have tea with us.”
~~~~~
“Thanks, Harold. I’ve just heard them come in. I can field any questions they may have. If there’s anything I can’t answer, I’ll send them back to you.” James Digby pushed the ‘End Call’ icon on his tablet. Tidying his desk, he decided to leave for the day. It was a bit early but it would give him an opportunity to talk to the sisters on his way out. They were already sitting down to a tray of apples, watermelon, grapes, and two cheeses. “Digby! You’re still here. Come join us ~ that is if you have time. Is Martha still here?” Emelina was glad to see him. She could broach the subject of Michael’s will with him. She needed the informality of the kitchen after being in Mr. Jordan’s office. She also needed to hear the calmness only Digby could provide and she suspected Dez did too.
“I’d love to join you. I have a few minutes before Martha finishes up. She’s still in her office.” He poured a cup of coffee and sat down with the sisters. “Who’s still in her office?” Martha’s question did not need answering. “Come Elizabeth, lets you and I get some tea and let them talk. If they need us, we’ll just be at the other end of the table.”
James nodded his thanks at his wife and turned to his employer and her sister. “Well, ladies, how was your visit with Mr. Jordan?” Emelina looked up at him. Dez took more grapes. “It was informative. But why don’t I remember any of the history? The will didn’t really say much about the jogging track, except that it shouldn’t be destroyed in any way, but kept in good repair. Then it said, ‘if after ten years it has not been used, give Samuel Forrester use of the land in service of the estate.’ Michael and I dated when we were in high school. I have vague memories of being out here. I don’t think the track was here then. What can you tell me, Digby?”
For the next hour, Digby talked. Emelina asked questions. “Do you remember the track meets at Hartley High, Miss Emelina?” Digby wasn’t sure where to start. He had almost forgotten. He never used the track himself and seldom even saw it, so it was really quite out of his mind. “Of course I remember the track meets. Michael was the only reason I even went to those competitions. He didn’t even know I existed for the longest time. I finally got on the cheerleading squad just so I had an excuse to be on the same track when he practiced.” Her face flushed, she got up for tea instead of coffee. Dez brightened up. “I remember you cheer leading ~ sparkly pompoms, your cutesy uniforms and always talking ~ Michael this and Michael that, muscles, curly hair. It almost made me nauseated. Go on, Digby what about the jogging track.” Dez was grinning from ear to ear. She was hoping to hear something more than just the jogging track.
“I think it was in Mr. Michael’s senior year.” He hesitated. “No, dear, it was the year before. His father surprised him with the jogging track. Don’t you remember?” James looked at his wife and smiled. “Go ahead, dear. You know the story much better than I.”
Martha moved down to sit across from her employer. “Well, Mr. Michael, and you I suppose, had gone to the mainland for some big track meet. In that week, old Mr. Beaufort had a work crew come in and put in a regulation jogging track. He had watched Mr. Michael training on the lane, on the roads into Hartley. He and Samuel’s father had talked about where best to put it. I would see them walking all over the estate whenever Mr. Michael was at class.” She took a breath. “Listen to me going on about it. You take over, James, I’ll go home and make us some supper. ~ Elizabeth, are you ready to go? I can walk out with you.”
~~~~~
“I’ll be home shortly, Martha. I just have one or two things more to tell Miss Em and Miss Dez.” He stood, shared a kiss and hug with his wife. “Good night Elizabeth.” He sat down again. “What else can you tell us, Digby? Why would Michael want that included in his will?”
“I don’t know that I can be absolutely certain, but I’m certain he had plans for it. Past high school, I mean. For the first few years after high school, he let the school use the track for training. He kept it ‘running ready’ ~ that’s what he called it.” He hesitated “You know, Dr. Jeremy may know something about any plans Mr. Michael may have had. He was out here visiting and used the track from time to time. You know they were best friends?”
“Yes. They were, weren’t they!” Emelina was excited. “He’ll be out here next week on his break from the hospital. I’ll call him tonight and jog his memory. Digby, you get home to Martha.” She turned to Dez. “Let’s walk the track this evening while there’s still light. We’ve just jogged before, but we can walk this time and see if Michael left us any clues.”
“It is human nature, it seems, to have the desire to leave a legacy,
to leave something behind, to be remembered.”
~ Mackenzie Finklea, Beyond the Halls: An Insider’s Guide to Loving
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