Somewhere Down In Texas~1
Eva's grandfather died leaving her his ranch and $2.5 million, but only under one condition. She must live and work on the ranch for over a year. Can she do it?
Eva Esposito walked through the door of the lawyer’s office. Her older brothers, uncles, aunts, and parents sat there waiting on her before they began. "Sorry I’m late," she said but they were use to it. Eva was never on time to anything. Her father slapped one of the boys on the arm and made him give up his chair to his sister.
"As you know we are here to go over Matthew Callahan’s ranch," the lawyer said once everyone was situated. Mr. Callahan was Eva’s grandfather. He was a multimillionaire rancher that had got lucky when he had struck oil on one of his ranches. But he didn’t live like most millionaires and Eva never understood that. He didn’t live in a mansion and didn’t have servants. He lived in the same ranch house her mother grew up in. He didn’t drive fancy foreign cars. His vehicle of choice was an extended cab Chevrolet pickup truck.
Eva had been lost in her memories of her grandfather that she had missed most of the will reading. "And to my one and only granddaughter, Eva Esposito, I bequeath my ranch in hopes that she might learn responsibility and the meaning of hard work."
"What?!" Eva exclaimed. She couldn’t believe it. She hated that ranch. She cringed at the thought of all those smelly animals. "That’s okay, I’ll just sell it."
"I’m afraid that is not an option," the lawyer said. "If I know my granddaughter, I know she is not happy with this and is thinking she can sell it. Sorry Eva you are not allowed to sell it. Relax, there is more," the lawyer read. It was like her grandfather knew exactly what she was thinking. "Also, I bequeath $2.5 million on the condition that she lives and works on the ranch for a period of 18 consecutive months starting 1 week after the reading of this last will and testament. If she decides she does not want the ranch or chooses not to live on the ranch, she forfeits the $2.5 million. In that case, both the ranch and the money will go to my head ranch hand Benjamin Cooper."
Eva stormed out of the lawyer’s office when he was done reading the will. She can’t believe she had to give up her high class life and move to hillbilly land. "I can’t believe he just gave you money and I have work for mine. Can you believe that? I always knew he hated me."
"Eva, he didn’t hate you," Mrs. Esposito said.
"It’s about time you had to work. Maybe you’ll learn what it means to actually have to earn something and not have it handed to you on a silver platter," Marco, her middle older brother, said.
"What is that suppose to mean?" she asked with an attitude.
"It means you are a spoiled pampered little brat that doesn’t know the meaning of hard work." He left her standing there with the rest of the family.
"Ugh! Can you believe him?" she asked in disgust.
"Yes, I can. I blame myself. You are my only daughter, my princess. I only wanted what was best for you." Mr. Esposito said. "I’m afraid I failed you."
She groaned and walked off. She dialed her best friend Valerie. "Meet me at the coffee shop in fifteen." She got into her Capri Blue Mercedes Benz convertible and drove downtown to a little coffee shop on the corner. A leggy blonde in a sundress sat outside at a bistro table. She stood up and greeted Eva with a kiss on each cheek. "Ciao bella!"
Valerie pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. A waiter brought out two mocha frappuccinos and two bagels. "I went ahead and ordered for you. What’s the big emergency?"
"We had the will reading today," Eva started.
"Oh, yeah, how did that go?" Valerie asked sipping her frappuccino.
Eva rolled her eyes. "My grandpa hated me. He gave me his ranch and $2.5 million dollars."
Valerie choked on her drink. "2—$2.5 million dollars? That’s what you call hate?"
"The condition is I have to live on the ranch and take care of it for 18 months."
"Really? Eh…an actual ranch? With animals and everything?"
"Yes, and the worst part is my family thinks I need it. Can you believe they think I am spoiled?"
Valerie looked at the Mercedes and back at Eva. "Nah, where would they ever get an idea like that," she teased.
Eva tore off a piece of her bagel and threw it at Valerie. "I’ll show all of you. I will be the best darn rancher there is. After all, how hard could it be?"
"As you know we are here to go over Matthew Callahan’s ranch," the lawyer said once everyone was situated. Mr. Callahan was Eva’s grandfather. He was a multimillionaire rancher that had got lucky when he had struck oil on one of his ranches. But he didn’t live like most millionaires and Eva never understood that. He didn’t live in a mansion and didn’t have servants. He lived in the same ranch house her mother grew up in. He didn’t drive fancy foreign cars. His vehicle of choice was an extended cab Chevrolet pickup truck.
Eva had been lost in her memories of her grandfather that she had missed most of the will reading. "And to my one and only granddaughter, Eva Esposito, I bequeath my ranch in hopes that she might learn responsibility and the meaning of hard work."
"What?!" Eva exclaimed. She couldn’t believe it. She hated that ranch. She cringed at the thought of all those smelly animals. "That’s okay, I’ll just sell it."
"I’m afraid that is not an option," the lawyer said. "If I know my granddaughter, I know she is not happy with this and is thinking she can sell it. Sorry Eva you are not allowed to sell it. Relax, there is more," the lawyer read. It was like her grandfather knew exactly what she was thinking. "Also, I bequeath $2.5 million on the condition that she lives and works on the ranch for a period of 18 consecutive months starting 1 week after the reading of this last will and testament. If she decides she does not want the ranch or chooses not to live on the ranch, she forfeits the $2.5 million. In that case, both the ranch and the money will go to my head ranch hand Benjamin Cooper."
Eva stormed out of the lawyer’s office when he was done reading the will. She can’t believe she had to give up her high class life and move to hillbilly land. "I can’t believe he just gave you money and I have work for mine. Can you believe that? I always knew he hated me."
"Eva, he didn’t hate you," Mrs. Esposito said.
"It’s about time you had to work. Maybe you’ll learn what it means to actually have to earn something and not have it handed to you on a silver platter," Marco, her middle older brother, said.
"What is that suppose to mean?" she asked with an attitude.
"It means you are a spoiled pampered little brat that doesn’t know the meaning of hard work." He left her standing there with the rest of the family.
"Ugh! Can you believe him?" she asked in disgust.
"Yes, I can. I blame myself. You are my only daughter, my princess. I only wanted what was best for you." Mr. Esposito said. "I’m afraid I failed you."
She groaned and walked off. She dialed her best friend Valerie. "Meet me at the coffee shop in fifteen." She got into her Capri Blue Mercedes Benz convertible and drove downtown to a little coffee shop on the corner. A leggy blonde in a sundress sat outside at a bistro table. She stood up and greeted Eva with a kiss on each cheek. "Ciao bella!"
Valerie pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. A waiter brought out two mocha frappuccinos and two bagels. "I went ahead and ordered for you. What’s the big emergency?"
"We had the will reading today," Eva started.
"Oh, yeah, how did that go?" Valerie asked sipping her frappuccino.
Eva rolled her eyes. "My grandpa hated me. He gave me his ranch and $2.5 million dollars."
Valerie choked on her drink. "2—$2.5 million dollars? That’s what you call hate?"
"The condition is I have to live on the ranch and take care of it for 18 months."
"Really? Eh…an actual ranch? With animals and everything?"
"Yes, and the worst part is my family thinks I need it. Can you believe they think I am spoiled?"
Valerie looked at the Mercedes and back at Eva. "Nah, where would they ever get an idea like that," she teased.
Eva tore off a piece of her bagel and threw it at Valerie. "I’ll show all of you. I will be the best darn rancher there is. After all, how hard could it be?"
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
