Eleven

Anna breathed deeply using the exercises that she’d learned as the lawyer perched on a chair next to her hospital bed.

“Are you-”

“This is stressful. They sent you to find out if I’m in good enough shape to inherit?”

“Not exactly. You are set to inherit, your father's will is clear, but they want to make sure you’re currently able to do so on your own or if you need a-”

“If they had concerns for anything but the money I would be asking them to give me some guidance. But no one even showed up. I’ve been here for a little over a month now recovering and trying to keep the parts I can. I needed my family to come in and make medical decisions and to give me emotional support but no one came. 

“My ex and his family stepped in and stepped up for me. My EX!”

“I was told he had MPoA?”

“Yeah, I signed that when I was seventeen before we broke up because my family hated him and I wanted to make sure that if something happened to me he would at least be able to visit. As I was underage, it wouldn’t have held up. Fortunately, no one looked too hard at it or tried to do the math on the dates, otherwise no one would have been able to advocate for me. 

“I’m nearly certain my family would all be happier if I had died and if you think I won’t take them to court and discuss all of this with judge, point out the fact that they couldn't even be bothered to break the news of my father's death themselves, they haven't visited, they haven't even f*****g called!”

“Hey.” Mr. Mazzuca leaned into the room. “Do some breathing, you’re yelling.” 

Anna took several breaths and composed herself. “My point is that it’s so painfully clear that the only reason they would be stepping in to a guardianship role is to loot my inheritance, even a judge will see it.

“If they want to try to get guardianship of me they should be prepared to be dragged through the mud all the way to the courthouse. I am both of sound mind and so f*****g angry that I will take the financial hit and suffer the embarrassent of putting my mangled body on goddamn billboards to see them publicly shamed for it. Billboards in every state they have homes in, so that their friends, neighbors, and business associates all know who they’re dealing with. I’d do it internationally but I am certain the news will pick it up and do that for me. Do you have any doubts about the soundness of my mind or my willingness to follow through?”

The lawyer cleared his throat. “No. I will strongly discourage them from seeking guardianship.”

“Wonderful. You can also tell them that I’ll forgive them for not being here the way I needed them to be if they hire a pitbull of an attorney to hit Hollie with a civil suit for killing my last living parent and take that b***h to the cleaners. I don’t care if the winnings all go to their fees. I want to make her feel the pain and loss she has given to me and the only way to do that is to take away the only thing she cares about, money.”

He cracked a smile. “I’ll relay that message as well. Is there anything you’d like to request be done with whatever is left after the fees?”

“If they give it to me to do something with, I’ll find a charity that helps those who’ve lost parents to domestic violence and donate it all in Dad’s name or they could do it directly. I don’t want her money, I want my Dad-” Her voice cracked and Anna took a moment to breathe and swallow the lump trying to close her throat. “Making her money go toward something good, a counter to what she did, feels appropriate. He’d approve.”

The man’s smile warmed, “I’ll let them know.”

He left and Mr. Mazzuca came in with a crooked smile on his face. “I was listening.”

“Yeah? I appreciate you reminding me to breathe.”

“Your Dad would be proud of you.”

She sighed and looked at her hands, or rather what was left. “Yeah.”

“Hey.” Mr. Mazzuca came close and leaned on her bed, reaching out to rest a hand on her arm. “Did your old man only love you because you could play the harp, or something? Every time somebody mentions your Dad being proud of you it’s the same thing, you get sad and look at your hands.”

“The only thing he ever said he was proud of me for was my playing. I know he loved me, and I know he’d be happy that I’m alive, but I also know he’d be as crushed as I am that I’ll never be able to play like I did before.”

“You built your whole life and your whole sense of self on what you could do. I did that too. I was a boxer. It fucked me up when I couldn't do that anymore and I almost got myself killed. I had to spend a lot of time thinking and rebuilding myself. I put in a lot of work figuring out who I was, who I wanted to be, and how to make it happen when I was inside. I came out the other side a new man. You’ve got help and you’re not locked up. You can do this, kid.” 

Anna took a deep breath, “That’s a topic I’ve touched on with my therapist. It’s just… It feels impossible. I-I need help.”

It was quiet for a long moment and then he offered, “They used to call me Heavy. I was a heavyweight boxer. When I started getting my head on straight again I had to let that go. It changed the way I thought about myself to go from Heavy to Leo. You might think about it. Maybe if you went from Anna to Bella it might feel better?”

Anna gave a small laugh. “Mom, and sometimes Dad, used to call me Izzy instead of Anna.” She took a deep breath and then spent a few moments just breathing as she blinked back tears.

“‘Izzy’ sounds a lot better than ‘Anna’ to me. ‘Anna’ sounds a little too straightlaced.” Mr. Mazzuca reached out and rubbed her cheek. “Do you know how Val got her middle name?”

Anna shook her head.

“I got in trouble, bad trouble. My family was into some s**t and I got into it too, kind of like when you broke up with Ange and just let people tell you what to do. Some guys shot me and dropped me into a hole in an abandoned factory. I wasn’t the first person that got dropped in there.” He paused. “I had some kind of crazy dreams and when the cops came to find me I woke up calling for someone named Ann or Annie. I don’t remember much but I know it was a kid and she wanted me to live. She was a sweet kid, I remember that much.

“The cops pulled a few bodies out and one of them was a little girl. They heard about my dreams and named her ‘Annie Doe’. I paid for her funeral. Val got the name as a reminder so I don’t forget that there are some things worth living for.”

“I was ready to kill him myself when I heard he was shouting for someone else.” Mrs. Mazzuca came in and leaned against her husband’s back. “When I found out about the little girl I think I fell in love with him all over again. Why are you two talking about Annie?”

“It just felt right.” Mr. Mazzuca chuckled. “Did you know that her parents used to call her Izzy.”

“Izzy?” Mrs. Mazzuca looked at her with a baffled smile.

“Yeah. Mom wanted to name me Isabeau but Annabella was Dad’s grandmother’s name and he picked it as a peace offering to his family and what she wanted became my middle name. Mom only called me Izzy but Dad would call me Izzy at home too.”

“Ange never told me that.” Mrs. Mazzuca’s smile warmed.

“I don’t know if I ever talked to him about it. Dad never called me Izzy in front of anyone else and I don’t really bring it up.”

“Izzy fits her better. Kid’s too mouthy to be an ‘Annabella’. You should have heard her talk to that lawyer.” Mr. Mazzuca grinned and Anna sighed with a smile.

“I’m mad about them trying to suggest I’m not competent enough to inherit. And I’m madder that it’s such a transparent cash grab. I know they’re not touchy feely emotional people, but at the same time, a family is supposed to stick together. They just…” Anna breathed for a moment, composing herself.

“Hey, you got us now.” He grinned, “And I won’t make you marry Ange before you can call me ‘Pop’.”

Anna opened her mouth and closed it before bursting into laughter.

“Pop?” Ange stuck his head in. “I’m back with the food.”

“Get your sister and get in here. We’ll eat with Izzy.”

“Izzy?”

“Yeah, Izzy.” She took a breath and then gave Mr. Mazzuca a warm smile, “Mom would really like that and after the way his family has been acting, I think Dad would too. Starting over again as Izzy feels,” Izzy paused, “It feels right. Thanks, Pop.”

Reviews

[Gary]

I've read your entire story, and I have to say I am impressed with your writing. Good luck and keep at it.