act-vi-jack-money

[Spoken Word] The next week was God-sent Over seven days, I came to think my blue-eyed dream was about the heaven David had made of my bungalow As he spread his energy around it, doting over me But I never lost the feeling that he was running out of time His cell phone kept sounding off with messages he did not read to me He was up late into those last shared nights, peeking out of windows, checking And rechecking the locks on my doors No I will not tell you everything that happened between us That's private Don't be so nosy, homie I'll tell you this much I am still filled with cozy memories that will keep my heart warm forever I experienced the softest of resets It was my last deep breath Before the storm rolled down from the tower [Spoken Word] Coffee Town was eerily calm that morning The peace in my chest felt like a bad lawn I knew heartbreak would be back to collect No time for more tears, I told myself Looking at my reflection in the polished tower elevator door I dropped my tissue into my purse and stepped inside for the short ride to the third floor I knocked on the forest green door I had never noticed before Sitting across from the coffee coin exchange [Spoken Word] The lawyer's new office was furnished with antiques and smelled of old books and lemon polish He was a petite man With wiry fingers that seemed to wind around my hand when he shook it And introduced himself as Arthur Templeton Counsel for the estate of David Steinman Jackie was already there Sitting upright Wrapped in one of the blue capes I had made for myself She received my hug by clutching onto me Holding so tight, she nearly pulled me off my feet We sat in silence, fingers laced Listening Templeton scrunched his nose to push his sliding glasses up several times As he unfolded David's final wishes When it was over Jackie was the heiress of her father's estate, including several Coffee Town properties he had acquired while the whole town was searching for him The Coffee Town Prowler David was gone [Spoken Word] But he was still making me giggle like the college student I was when first put under his professorial spell He left me the title to my bungalow And a 50% stake in Clue Records The rest went to Jackie I would find out later that Except for some of MC Scarr's publishing Nearly all of Coffee Town's sound was under our control Even Sarah Sarah's Coffee House gospel record label was packaged into the all-encompassing deal The same deal unpumpable Missy was all up in a tizzy about I thought Clue Records sounded familiar when Missy was fussing about it But I had never heard the name Jack Money Wait till Missy finds out, I thought Wondering if she would still retire from the stage if I handed her publishing to her Yep, David was a funny guy, all right In our final days together He told me that Jack Money was a trust he had set up for our daughter after I rejected his offer to be involved at the label That was so many years ago, I had forgotten all about it Who would have thought to get demeaned and embarrassed by a record executive Way back when I was 20 Would have me sitting pretty in my golden days We stepped out into the sunlight together [Spoken Word] Hey Let's grab breakfast Jackie suggested Her voice snatched me out of my thoughts I nodded We did not make it far before we saw Lucy standing on the sidewalk wearing her house robe and house shoes She was toe up from the floor up As the jewels at Club Surrender like to say When any of them are aesthetically slipping Her hair was wild Her eyes were sun Lucy's golden brown skin was ashy and dry like she had cried all the life out of it Baby, come here I said Pulling her close She felt light as a leaf Tumbling every which way as Jackie and I ushered her back to her apartment Her apartment was dim Curtains drawn I filled her claw-foot tub with warm water and essential oils Jackie washed her hair While I oiled Lucy's scalp Braising a healing dip In silence In fresh night clothes, we tucked her into bed, though it was still morn I kissed Lucy's cold cheek and assured her I would find out what was really going on But her eyes did not respond