The Will

“He must have the will of Job,” she whispered.

“That’s the patience of Job, dear,” he whispered back.

It was a lovely ceremony with all the trimmings of a royal wedding scaled to fit the confines of the small neighborhood church. The groom had no family, but the bride was the reigning matriarch of hers. Naturally, the emptiness of the groom’s side fortuitously provided more elbow room for the crowded bride’s side. He was a man of forty with jet black hair with the exception for the silver strands bleeding through the temples. His chin was strong and sprinkled with a hint of masculine stubble. His blushing bride was the center of attention, smiling that so wide the corners of her mouth kissed the tips of her earlobes.

“Did they not think I would hear them?” Tom asked; his hands flung into the air. “Their whispers echoed throughout the whole church. They might as well have yelled their insults out loud. At least it wouldn’t have been cowardly!”

“Calm down, Mr. Finn,” the lawyer consoled. “I understand your upset, but--”

“And that wasn’t the end of it!” Tom continued. “I’m sure they censored themselves being inside a church and all. But the whispers and rumors just continued during the reception. Otherwise it was a perfect day, and everything went without a hitch. But I mean the nerve of some people!”

“I’m not here to question your motives,” the lawyer continued, “I’m simply here to--”

“I mean to question our love,” Tom continued to interrupt, “Now that- THAT crosses a line! That crosses THE line!”

“I understand your upset,” the lawyer’s voice calmed Tom. “But we have business to attend to. So if you could please describe to me your relationship with--”

“I love her. No matter what anybody says, the love we shared was a powerful connection that most people never get a taste of. Maybe the people at the wedding were jealous of that. I don’t know. Maybe all the whispers of people throughout the marriage were hung up with their own shallow and narrow-minded definition of beauty that they couldn’t see that I couldn’t bear to be without her.”

Tom sat back down and controlled his breath. He buried his head in his hands and massaged his temples as he leaned back in his chair. The lawyer stood up and walked towards the water cooler and got a cup for Tom. He handed it to his client who thanked him.

“Continue, Mr. Finn,” the lawyer took a seat.

“No one else saw it but she was beautiful; the most beautiful creature ever to be conceived by God. Her hair was like no one else’s. Sure, she’s a tad older than I am but the thin hair flowed in silver strands to her delicate shoulders. It would be easier to run a comb or brush through one’s hair but to carry the dignity that she did with her coif sprouting in all directions is no easy feat.

“Her skin was like dry, yellowed parchment that had been left in the sun after having been soaked in kerosene for years before. Some patches on her body looked as if it had been burned. It’s an acquired taste, I assure you. Her nose looked to be broken in three separate places but still I love her. I continue to love her today as much if not more than the day I met her, and that love will continue to grow for years to come.

“One eye was discolored and the other was legally blind but I could look in either and tell her how I felt every night with a smile on my face. Her lips were as dry and crumbly as gravel but I longed to kiss them every night. What few teeth she had were crooked but added personality to a smile that would melt the heart of the abominable snowman.

“Her fingers felt as if sandpaper had worn down to gritty circular pads but it warmed me as it touched my arm. The scent was distinctly hers. Her voice was a low gentle grumble much like the purr of a cat but to me might as well be the singing of angels. After all, it’s her voice I long to hear when I get to Heaven. I know it sounds crazy, but I love her that much.”

“There’s no need to explain, Mr. Finn,” the lawyer assured.

“We’ve had hard times as well. I was warned by numerous members of her family. Most notably her daughter, Diana, told me of her not-so-sweet disposition. Granted, she was cranky but who doesn’t have their personality quirks? Maybe on occasion she would yell at me and throw blunt objects at my head but, hey, every relationship has its ups and downs, do they not?

“I’m not here to discuss whether or not she was wrong but we may have had a disagreement on how to take care of the neighbor’s cat. But you have to understand, that flea infested feline would moan and cry at all hours of the evening. It drove everyone crazy. Not that I’m condoning what she did. I don’t care how annoying a cat is being, none of them deserve to have a burning burlap sack tied to their tail. But I do see why she did it, what drove her to it.”

“I see,” the lawyer’s eyes widened, not sure whether to show disgust or shock.

“Without giving the details,” Tom continued, “Our honeymoon was incredible. The wedding night was… It was magical. She looked beautiful in the bath that night as the water beaded off her leathery skin. Her two front teeth glimmered in the shine of the moonlight. There was a sparkle in her colored eye and she stared deep into my eyes with her working one. A tingle shot down my spine, her toes curled, and we fell into each other’s arms in the throes of passion that night.”

“That’s very,” the lawyer searched for the words, “sweet. Again, my condolences for your loss, Mr. Finn. I’m sure all this is very hard for you but I’m glad you made time to come down to my office.”

“I do miss Gloria very much, thank you.”

“It certainly sounds like you were in love. You must have had quite the iron will to put up with her faults. It seems as if she had quite a few.”

“Will had nothing to do with it, counselor. Love was all it was, and all it ever had to be. I never had much use for anything else. People make it sound like I had to put up with a nuisance, but it was genuine love, I assure you.”

“That’s very noble of you, Mr. Finn,” the lawyer pulled out a small stack of papers from the desk. “How was your income when she was alive? Were you well to do? Did you struggle?”

“We had our dry moments and our high moments, but overall we got by.”

“Any children?”

“No,” Tom chuckled. “She hated children and besides, she was much too old.”

“But you did, indeed, consummate the marriage.”

“Of course,” Tom answered, confused. “Why do you ask? I don’t understand.”

“It seems Gloria kept a secret nest egg away in the bank since you two were engaged and let it grow to healthy size. These papers are her will and they stipulate that if I could prove that you were truly in love with her and that you consummated the relationship without ulterior motive, then everything she owned, including that nest egg would be yours.”

“Well she always was the resourceful one. We didn’t own much. But exactly how large did this nest egg grow?”

“Her savings come to a bountiful $3.5 million dollars, and that’s not including the land properties she owns which consequently are yours as well. She didn’t want you to know about her wealth. Gloria confided in me that it had been the bane of her existence and she wanted to find true love before she died. Obviously, she found that in you, Mr. Finn.”

“Wahoo!” Tom yelled as he jumped out of his chair and clicked his heels in joy. “I deserve this! I deserve this after putting up with that horrible old miser all these years!”

The two paused and stared each other in awkward silence before Tom took his cup of water and drank it all in one gulp. He set the paper cup down on the desk and his eyes darted all about the office in nervous shame. The lawyer offered another cup to which Tom declined.

“I only met with her the one time when she came and had me draw up the papers on this will a few years ago,” the lawyer explained. “She’s just as you had described her, Mr. Finn, to a tee and then some. I don’t know if it’s the will or the love that made you stay with her all that time, but as far as I’m concerned you definitely deserve that money.”

The two shook hands and departed to their separate ways. They never bumped into each other again after that meeting. However there have been rumors of a man who had come into some money recently who hopped from country to country courting haggardly looking women. He taught young men that one’s love truly conquers all but it is one’s will that truly pays off.