Vinnie didn’t care for the way things were going in the big building. People were running around like they had a clue what she wanted, and since she really didn’t know, they didn’t fucking know either. Finally, she put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. Every person in the big building stopped and turned in her direction.
“I don’t want anyone to touch another thing.” Several people leapt back from the pieces they were near, and a couple even set the pottery or whatever piece they had in their hands down on the floor. “Good. Now. I know that we have to inventory all of this, but the way we’re doing it isn’t working out. I know for a fact that several pieces are on several different lists. It’s either furniture or it’s not. There cannot be a list for desk, office equipment, and wood.”
“Good for you.” Her grandmother patted her on the back as she stood up as well. “We would like for all furniture to be put over there, the pottery items here, and the crystal there. Any and all jewelry will need to be brought to us and we’ll inventory it.”
“Thanks.” Her grandmother just smiled at her. “What am I going to do with all this stuff? I can open several shops and never put a dent in all the pieces here and in the house. I shudder to think what might be in the other buildings.”
“You’ll do fine with it. And did I tell you I have some things I’d like to get rid of as well? Since I’ve sold the house, young Landon has decided that he wants some of the pieces but not all. He abhors the dining room things. In fact, I told him I did as well.”
“Beth is going to let me put some of her art in the shop as well. And apparently Addie is selling off most of her parents’ things as well. She called them stuffy. I think she’s going to come and see what she wants of this too.” Grandmother nodded and took the first of what Vinnie knew would be many boxes of jewelry. “That attorney for Steele, he said we’d have to keep track of all these pieces in order to make it easier at tax time. Owning all this free and clear, he said, doesn’t mean I won’t have to pay taxes on it when it sells. I guess…do you suppose I’ll be able to move any of this?”
“I’m to understand that Hugh is going to help you out with putting the things online to sell as well. That will help, I think. Even if they want you to hold it for them so they can pick up some of the pieces, he said he’d make sure that they paid up front. And I think you’ll do very well. People love old things. Look at us.” Vinnie hugged her grandmother to her. “I’ve been wondering how you’d feel about what I did.”
“I’m glad you took charge, Grandmother. I would never have gotten through this…” She stopped talking when her grandmother shook her head at her. “What do you mean then?”
“Your mother.” Vinnie thought about seeing her mother die. The stake coming through her chest as it, too, burned up. “Staking your mother, I mean. That, I’m sad to say, wasn’t as hard to do as I thought it would be. She...her mouth was spewing such things that I think it hurt me that she was hurting you so badly. You have to know it was going to be easier for me to do than you. And I know you told the council you’d take care of it. Killing one parent for the good of us all was more than you should have been asked to do.”
“I’m actually glad that she’s gone. I know that sounds horrible, but it’s not like we were very close. I mean...I can’t even remember the last time I spoke to her where she wasn’t asking me for something, begging me to do something for her or to give her something I had. My house...I can see where she’d want to live there. I guess. It’s nicer than hers had ever been. Of course, she never tried very hard to make it so she had nice either.”
“Your father and mother were the most selfish people I ever had the misfortune to be related to. Most of the time I would ignore her just so that I’d not have to listen to her tell me what she didn’t have. And how she’d never get it. I swear to you, they were old enough to have been able to save fortunes, but they never even tried. Why would you have an electric bill that is well over a thousand dollars a month when you are not using it? They were gone most of the night time, and why burn it during the day when you are at rest?”
They sorted through some of the nicest things she’d seen so far before she answered her. There were times when her bill would come in for a little less than thirty dollars a month. Hugo used little when he watched over her. And Gilda didn’t live with them. There wasn’t any need for a phone, she had no heat bills to speak of, and no credit cards. The house had been paid off for a very long time and her taxes were paid monthly, which was little compared to what the house gave her monthly. Food wasn’t a real issue since she never ate, and Hugo ate whatever he could find in the woods behind them. Most of the time, he would have a deer dressed out and eat on that for several days.