FF:: R&R:: An Interlude:: Bittersweet Memories (3/3)

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx]

And once more with feeling!!!
K, here's the third and absolute final Part to this little side trip
down the Great Sorceress' memory lane. Nice Family huh.
Anyway as I said anything you have to say about this fic or just a nasty
little comment on the mating habits of my ancestors just send them on. I
live for that stuff.<eg>
You know the drill.
keeper444@xxxxxxxxx
Later
Alex
++++++++++++
Full Disclaimers In Part 1
+++++++++++++
R&R::An Interlude::
Bittersweet Memories (3/3)
by: Alex P.
+++++++++++++
The horrible memories of her family's actions on that day in the
attorney David Ludlow's conference room were forever imprinted into the
redhead's mind. 

She could see the entire meeting clearly as if it occurred only
yesterday.
**************
Willow walked into the conference room and looked timidly around the
room, in an effort to find a place to sit. That she was nervous was
easily seen in her body language, but on her face was unadulterated
disgust, after she heard the conversations that were going on. 

The tall very handsome silver haired man that had been her
grandmother's attorney saw her and signaled her to join him. 

When she got through the gauntlet that was her family, the polite man
with gentle blue eyes, held a chair out next to him, for Willow to sit
in. He had impeccable manners, and was usually quite charming; she
smiled at her grandmother's old friend, as he helped her to be seated.

He gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.
She looked around the room, and noticed that there were others there
besides her family, all of whom, she'd met at some time, and knew them
to be good friends of her grandmother, then of course there was
grandmother's Rabbi, who gave her a friendly smile, and a secretive
wink, she couldn't help but smile at him.

Once the lawyer was sure that Willow was comfortable, and had a cup of
her favorite herbal tea, all of which aggravated her family even more,
especially since they hadn't received such preferential treatment, he
turned his attention back to the others. 

The charming congenial friend was gone, and in his place, was a stern 
by-the-book barrister, ready to discharge his client's last wishes, 
to the letter, and would not stand for any nonsense from the people 
assembled before him. He cleared his throat to gain everyone's 
attention, glaring at a few until they were quiet. 

Then, he began the 
distasteful business of dealing with the ungrateful family of the 
finest woman he had ever known. 

"Alright, we are here, to read the final probated, last will and
testament, of one Magdalin Rosenberg." he began and although he tried 
to conceal it, Willow could hear the sadness in his voice, at having 
to say this final goodbye, to his much beloved and treasured 
friend. "First, at my clients insistence, I am to provide you with 
the following documents and provisions to this document."

There was a buzz of voices around the room, but one glare from those
cold blue eyes quieted them quickly. He pulled two large manila
envelopes, and opened the first one taking out several type written
papers, the lawyer, who was 'the' David (Dave to Willow and her
grandmother), held the papers up and consulted the first page of the
will. 

"What I have here, are certified letters from some of the most
respected psychiatrists in this country," He began, Willow would have
sworn she heard a touch of satisfied sarcasm, in his rich baritone
voice "Each one is properly witnessed and notarized, and certified,
that the, aforementioned, Magdalin Rosenberg, is a sane, and rational
woman, in full possession of her faculties, completely cognizant of 
her actions, and of their consequences at the time of this wills 
signing."

As he spoke a junior associate attorney passed out copies of each
document to everyone there.
Willow was watching the faces around the table, and noticed that some
of them fell slightly at this news. It was at that moment, she 
realized what her grandmother had done, with that one move, she had 
effectively removed the only reason they could have to contest the 
will. A sly smile came to her lips, and she was forced to hide it 
behind her hand, so her family wouldn't see it.

"This second document," the lawyer continued, as he opened the other
envelope, and produced a very official looking paper, "is a recent
amendment to the will, that my client felt necessary to add to her 
will. Simply put, it states, that if any of her heirs try, in any 
manner, to break or contest her will, their inheritance would be 
forfeit, and be reverted back into the estate. Any questions so far?"

There was some very nervous twitching, but nobody spoke up. When no 
one spoke, David returned to the thick document in front of him. He 
turned the first page, and after clearing the emotional lump from his 
throat, he once again began reading, Willow found herself enjoying 
that commanding, deep timbered voice, that Willow and Magda could sit 
and listen to for hours. 

He started with the first of many pages of her grandmother's actual
will.

"I Magdalin Estell Rosenberg," the lawyer began again determined to 
get through this for Magda, and her 'little Rose', "being of sound 
body, and a lot sounder of mind, than any of you thought, do affirm 
and attest that this is my last 'will and testament', and reflects my 
true wishes for the final disposition of my earthly goods, assets, 
and properties. 

I have selected as the executor of my estate to be David Ludlow, in 
the event of his inability to perform these duties, I appoint the law 
firm of Ludlow and Burgess, to take the responsibility of naming his
successor, who will serve in that capacity until such time as all the
provisions of this document are discharged, as I have instructed."

The lawyer stopped only long enough to turn the page.

"I was going to stop here, and have David read some comments to you 
all, but I have decide that since my family's time is so valuable 
that they couldn't come see me, unless they wanted something, I 
should just plow on ahead, and get to the part you are all eagerly 
waiting for.

First; to Avram's dear cousins and assorted distant relatives who 
never saw fit to come visit, but I am sure are here because there is 
money to be leached, I leave the amount of one hundred thousand 
dollars, to each of you. If my Avram hadn't loved you so I would have 
given you nothing."

The room came alive with angry grumbles, all of the family knew that 
the estates liquid assets alone, were in the several hundred million 
range, and the cousins had counted on a much larger piece of the pie. 

"If you aren't quiet I will call security and have you removed." David
growled and when it was once again silent he returned to the will.

"Yes that's all you get, what did you expect after all the things you
said behind my back. I can't believe that you idiots were stupid 
enough to say that to the very people that were looking to get more 
by getting you cut out of the will by running back to me to tell me 
everything you said. I don't reward stupidity." 

The next section of the will covered her various friends and others 
that Willow's grandmother had set aside fairly large sums of money. 

Her ranch hands all received large bequests and were asked to remain 
until the reading was over, to discuss their employment situation 
with David, as she had formulated plans for them to have jobs. 

To her ranch foreman she left one million dollars as a token of
appreciation for his years of loyalty and tireless devotion, that 
really got the relatives buzzing but a glare from David quickly 
quieted them down.

Then came several charities that she had always supported in various
amounts according to their needs. Soon after the other charities came
her Rabbi and her temple, all during the last years, they had played a
big role in her life and had been a true comfort to her. Since the
temple was in need of both a youth and a senior center, Magda donated
the money to build them, and had already arranged for a contractor to
handle the construction.

The Rabbi was so overwhelmed by the womans generosity that he actually
began to weep, this prompted Willow to go to the man and comfort him
until he was once again in control of his emotions. David handed the 
man an envelope with the already signed contracts for the 
construction of the two buildings, as an added bonus the deeds for 
the property to build them on directly across the street from the 
temple. Along with all the necessary waivers and permits, required.

This was donated by David and his partner as a memorial to their 
friend.

The poor Rabbi was so stunned by this development that all he could do
was sit and stare at the documents.

Through most of this, Willow had been keeping an eye on her parents, 
and could see on their faces they were busy calculating each bequest,
against the estimated size of the remaining estate. By the wolfish
smile on her mother's lips, it was clear she had reached a figure, it 
was clear that the will was almost finished, and she was already 
spending the money, she was sure was as good as hers, on a wild world 
wide shopping spree. 

"Now I come to my son Ira and his wife Shelia who refused to come see
me after I left New York, and was always conniving to take that next
step on the social ladder. 

I feel sorry for you both, you Shelia, because you don't care who you
step on or who you hurt, to reach some shallow goal, and you Ira, for
being too weak to stand up to your own wife, and direct your family in
the right direction. For some unknown reason, God saw fit to give you 
a beautiful, intelligent, and compassionate daughter, but neither of 
you have ever given her the slightest part of your lives. 

I would tell you to take a step back, and show your love, for this 
sweet young woman, and to get interested in her life but I know you 
both too well. You have both been sitting there trying to do the math 
and figure the size of the remaining estate. 

I'll even bet you both are thinking of ways you're going to spend the
money, and how you are going to liquidate the rest of the assets, for
even more money, but neither have given a single thought for Willow,
have you? 

I'd bet that you have both ignored her, ever since you got news of my
passing, and knowing my precious little Rose, she has been grieving
terribly. Oh well, why should I waste my time with fools."

Willow was watching her parents, while David was reading that last 
part, and she could see the signs, her mother was about to launch 
herself into a gigantic tirade over how ungrateful and vindictive her 
Grams was being. That she was too old to know what it was like, 
raising an ungrateful, disappointment like Willow, and a long list of 
remarks intended to hurt the young girl, whose only actual crime 
against Shelia, was to be born. 

Then she looked at her father; he was almost scary, his face getting
progressively redder. As he came closer to the breaking point, but as
his mother predicted he remained silent, and let his wife grumble, as
the lawyer continued to read those humiliating words, in front of
everyone. She knew if David didn't get away from that part of the will
soon, her mother would be a real problem. 

Taking her silent hint the attorney, skipped several more lines
describing how Willow's parents had disappointed her, and found the
actual distribution section.

"For these reasons, and so many more too numerous to mention, I 
bequeath to my son and his wife, Ira and Shelia Rosenberg, the sum of 
Five hundred thousand dollars."

That did it the entire room exploded with angry voices, Willow cringed
into the lawyer's side, seeking shelter from her raging family. It was
really bad, Willow and several of her grandmother's friends, were
frightened for their lives. 

If any of her family had brought a gun, Willow was sure there would 
be a lot fewer Rosenbergs in the world by morning. David let the 
relatives rant and rave for a little bit, inwardly smiling at what 
his friend had done. 

But when he looked down at the small girl that was burying herself 
into his side to avoid the near violence in the room. He decided to 
say the one phrase that was guaranteed to grab their attention. 

When his booming Baritone voice made the announcement the entire room 
became deathly still.

"As for the remainder of my estate," He bellowed over the jumble of
angry voices, then when everyone had gone quiet, and the family sat 
down so that Willow felt safe enough to come out of hiding "including 
but not limited to the cash accounts, stock portfolio, property, both 
real and other wise, anything left, that was once mine, except for my
jewelry, will be placed in trust to be managed by David Ludlow, and/or
any other agents that are deemed necessary. 

Said trust, benefits and profits from the Little Rose Bud Ranch, are 
to be held in trust, until such time as my primary beneficiary has met
certain provisions, that my executor will share with her, in a private
meeting, after this friendly little get together is over."

The friends that were sitting in the back of the room, all began
laughing at their friend's prophetic remark, and as a group, they got 
up and left, so they wouldn't be forced to witness another shameful
demonstration by the Rosenberg family. 

Between the hateful glares being shot at her, and the angry grumbling,
that was also aimed at her, Willow was afraid to hear what more Grams
had to say, but she took a deep breath, and putting aside her family's
petty behavior, the redhead focused her attention on her friend, as he
continued her grandmother's last words to her.

"Willow honey, I know that you are sad right now, and all this 
craziness you are seeing has only served to make it harder on you 
but, honey, don't feel sad for me. I told you on the last night we 
were together, sitting in front of the fire, I'm in a much happier 
place, and I have my momma and poppa, my sisters and brothers, here 
with me, again, and I have my beautiful Marie, and of course, Abram 
my sweet gentle hero,
right beside me, and we are all watching out for you, my little Rose. 
So don't shed anymore tears for your old Grams. 

Now Ira, and you too Shelia, it would do you good to listen.
I know you both are sitting there trying to think of a way to steal 
your own daughter's money. Don't even try to deny it.

Well forget it, David and a veritable army of the finest attorneys, 
have set up this trust so that only Willow can profit from it. If it 
is discovered that you two have somehow figured out how to steal or
badger, even a single dollar, of her trust you will be prosecuted, for
fraud, theft, embezzlement and any other charges, that David and his
people can think of, that you will have a long stay behind bars. So
forget it.

Now Willow, honey, you go with my best friend and most trusted 
advisor, Dave, and get all the details of your newfound wealth. Go on 
honey, go dry your eyes, and wash your face, and always listen to 
Dave, he cares for you, almost as much as I do."

The lawyer was embarrassed as he read those last words, but he was 
also very proud to know how much he had meant to Magda. With one last 
look, at her angry family, and a sad gaze for her stunned and greedy 
parents, the redhead turned and followed the silver haired lawyer to 
his office, to do as her Grams told her to.
***************
"That's the last thing that I heard from Grams, my family was so mad
they haven't talked to me since. By the time I was finished in 
David's office, mom and dad were gone, and after I got home my 
relationship with my parents went down hill, but you know all about 
that" Willow sniffed out after the story of the will reading she 
still was hurt by her families actions that day 

"The only one who 
even tried to get better was Dad, it has been a while since he 
asked me for money."

Buffy forced a laugh, knowing that her lover was trying her best, not 
to show how much it still hurt, and how much she still missed her 
Grams, but the Slayer knew she had to hear the rest, her own natural 
curiosity would drive her mad.

"Honnnnney! Come on." Buffy whined playfully and began poking her 
lover in the ribs tickling her

"What sweetheart?" Willow asked acting innocent, even though she knew
what her wife wanted, "Is there something you want my love?"

"Grrrrrrrr, Willow Rosenberg Summers!" Buffy growled sending thrills 
of passion through the redhead "You know very well what I want. 
Finish the stooooorrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy!"

"All right, brat." Willow laughed grateful to her lover for teasing 
her out of the depression that always came after thinking of her 
grandmother. "Well lets see, ok I remember where I was, David and I 
went to his office and he told me the rest of Grams provisions, and 
then I stayed for a couple of weeks at the ranch. I talked Grams old 
housekeeper into staying in the house, and to treat it as if it was 
her own, I even let her move her daughter, and her grandkids move in." 

"David's firm and a very good accountant took care of everything else. 
I had David send me home just in time to begin my sophomore year, and 
I met this incredibly sexy blonde, with amazingly good taste in 
women, and the rest is written in the stars."

"That isn't all!" Buffy protested "Tell me, tell me, TELLLLLLL
MMMMEEEEEE!!!!"

"All right geez lover, nosey much?" Willow gave her wife what was
supposed to be a stern look, and it might have worked if that
mischievous gleam hadn't been in her eyes, and she had kept a straight
face. "Anyway, basically David and the accountants were to handle all
the business aspects, and they are geniuses, they have made me big
profits. I can't have total control until I reach 21, and I'm living 
on my own away from my parents control, oh, and yeah I have to be 
doing what makes me happy. I do have access to all the money I want 
though, I mean, like that's how I pay for school, and although my 
parents tried to make you, and your mother, think that they had paid for
the wedding and
bought our condo for us it was really the trust fund money that paid for
our cozy 
little four bedroom love nest."

"Hey Wills, you know something?" Buffy suddenly reached a revelation,
and when Willow looked back at her. "Didn't you just hear what you 
said, you have already met all the requirements."

"Hummmm, I hadn't thought of that" the witch said thoughtfully "I 
guess I could call David, and have him begin arranging to have it all 
turned over to me, but it's an awful lot to handle on my own, even 
with every one helping, I don't think I want that kind of 
responsibility. I mean there's the ranch and all the other property 
and remember we still have our Slayer slash Sorceress destiny things 
to figure out. You know, I think I'll just have David just transfer 
some of the cash deposited in our bank account here." 

"Then we can do 
some serious shopping, we haven't done that in a while, oh yeah, and 
we can take Cordy and get her some new fashions, she'll love that, 
it's been a while ya' know. Yeah that's what we'll do, when we go 
home." Willow's eyes lit up at the thouht of doing for her wife and
their friends "Maybe we can redecorate. Oh baby, do I have some ideas
for a 
new computer room, and you a game room, and even a gym where we can 
train, oh this could be fun!"

Buffy was reeling at her lover's sudden 
tangent, she was a little
worried that Willow was getting ahead of herself.

<>Geez I mean how much could there be?<> Buffy wondered silently <>I
mean even if she inherited one or two million she has to leave enough 
to keep the ranch going and then all those lawyers and accountants 
weren't free and I'm sure they didn't come cheap either<>

"Ah Wills, can I ask ya' somethin'?" Buffy queried she didn't want to
rain on her wife's parade, but she wanted to keep her anchored, also 
she didn't want to expect too much and face yet another 
disappointment.

"Sure sweetheart," Willow replied happily "ask me anything, I don't 
have secrets if ya' want to know, just ask."

"Alright already, geez I just wanted to ah... well, you seem to want
to..." Buffy began, but suddenly shy about getting into Willow's 
family business, but even if Willow just thought about it, she'd realize 
she was going overboard, "Ah well aw shoot I'll just ask? How much?"

"How much what, sweetheart?" Willow asked confused.

"How much did you inherit?" Buffy forced herself to ask "It's just
you're making all these plans honey, and I just didn't want you to get
hurt by setting impossible goals, ya' know."

" Oh...well yeah I guess I should tell ya', shouldn't I," Willow said
suddenly embarrassed by the wealth, and hoping it wouldn't scare 
Buffy, or intimidate her "Well at the close of last year, the last 
time David sent me the biyearly audit, there was, oh I think, ah, 
around, three or four hundred, that I could have at a moments notice, 
so to speak. That would also leave plenty, to run the ranch, and the 
other properties, support the foundations we sponsor, and pay all the 
taxes. There's probably more now, but I don't want to have that much 
here in Sunnydale. So yeah, there's maybe three or four hundred in 
usable assets or cash."

"Ah Wills, wow three or four hundred, what?" the Slayer asked, 
thinking that she had so much they could actually have three hundred 
thousand dollars to spend, anyway they wanted, but just to be 
sure, "Three or four hundred Thousand?"

"No Sweetheart, not thousand," Willow began she saw Buffy give her a
worried look and knew she thought that Willow meant three or four
hundred dollars, she smiled and hoped Buffy could handle the coming 
bomb shell, "that's million honey we can have three or four hundred 
million dollars sent here, if we want."

Buffy just stared, slack jawed, completely stunned by her lover's 
casual revelation. Wenny was cackling at the two young women's 
antics, she felt years younger, just sitting here with them. She knew 
she'd have to make a habit of spending time with these two youngsters 
often, or at least when they were here.

Buffy's mind finally decided that it would just push the staggering
amount to the side, and take it a little bit at a time. Then a happy
thought suddenly struck her.

"Hey! Wills, ya' know what?" Buffy said nearly vibrating from all the
energy she suddenly had, she felt so good it just naturally showed in
her joyous mood.

"What's that sweetheart?" Willow asked curious, but happy her lover 
was over her shock of her mate's wealth

"I always knew I was lucky to have you as my wife," Buffy quipped
happily "You've got it all."

"Buffy, what are you talking about?" Willow asked not sure she wanted 
to hear this.

"I mean think about it lover, you are everything anybody wants in a
woman," Buffy chirped happily "I mean sexy, beautiful, smart and
fabulously wealthy, you're the true triple threat babe, and all mine.
Whoa I really hit the jackpot mine! Mine! Mine!"

The Slayer chanted, as she swept her beloved witch off her feet and
into her arms and began twirling her around, with joyous abandon. For
some reason, just having the redhead in her arms sent the Slayer off
into fits of total jubilation. 
She had no idea where it come from 
andshe wasn't really sure 
why she was feeling such unbridled 
joy at Willow's mere presence, 
but she didn't care where it came from, she decided to go with it and
have fun with her beautiful lover.

Still holding her lover in her arms, Buffy looked over at the old 
woman that was still sitting on the bench, laughing at the Slayer's 
show of wild abandon. Buffy reminded the old woman of a young colt 
frolicking in a pasture of sweet grass.

"We'll see ya' later Wenny" Buffy hooted happily "I'm goin' to dance
with my unbelievably gorgeous wife right now."

The old woman laughed, as the couple twirled out of sight into the
trees, she could still hear Willow's squeals of joy, as her wife 
pulled her into her sudden feeling of complete and absolute freedom. 

Branwen was having the best time she'd had in several thousand years,
and she knew it was all due to being in the company of the two vibrant
young women.

As she was picking up the cups and dishes to be returned to the 
kitchens for cleaning Branwen closed her eyes for a moment and sent a 
small prayer up to her Goddess.

<>Sweet and caring Goddess, I am a very small and very humble part in
the scheme of things<> She began putting all her faith and devotion 
into her missive <>but I ask a boon of you if I may. Please watch 
over those two closely. They are innocents in the ways of their 
enemies and will need you divine guidance before all this is over. I 
will keep my part of the bargain and will tell them what I know 
before they leave. I just hope they can stand all the grief that is 
headed their way, I thank you for listening to your humble 
priestess.<>

Moving slowly because of her extreme age Branwen finished gathering 
the dishes and with a slow unsteady gait moved across the glen toward 
the kitchens eventually disappearing into the trees. Leaving only the
happily gurgling fountain to enjoy the peaceful scenery.

++++++
FIN
++++++
Okay there ya' go what do ya' think?
I hope it was a fun ride or at least interesting and mildly
entertaining.
~AP~