Laura's Legacy

Laura was seated between her older brother and younger sister. They had arranged themselves is birth order, as if they were being directed by the spirit of their Uncle Drew. The lawyer for the estate sat behind his walnut desk looking a bit apprehensive in Laura’s opinion. Her thoughts had been twirling around her brain like a hula hoop since she got the call that Uncle Drew had passed. Uncle Drew was their mother’s twin. The siblings had not been together since the graveside service for their mom. Her brother Donald Drew Douglas had climbed into the back of his hired limousine with his third wife, Judy, returning to New York City. Donald had made a fortune trading commodities. Frankly, in Laura’s not so humble opinion, Donald was the epitome of white male privilege. There had been a horrible argument over the politics of another Donald from New York. Heated arguments about the competence of the Trump presidency ended with her sister Jane throwing her glass of wine in Donnie’s face. Donald returned the assault with bourbon down the back of her dress. Laura was screaming “Oh my god, what would mother say if she were here? Can’t we just act like adults and agree to disagree about politics?” Laura sauntered in the middle of things politically and personally. Jane, on the far left ,far away from Donald, who was up the collective republican right’s ass. Jane was declaring her new sexuality and preferred pronouns, proud to be a pansexual, living with a black transgender woman while exploring sex with him /her and them. Basically, anyone who might catch her fancy was on her list of possible partners. Laura was on a hiatus from single dating sites and starting to wake up from dreams of her biological clock falling off the mantel of her precarious future plans.

The spinning of Laura’s thoughts stopped abruptly as the lawyer cleared his throat to read the will,” I, Drew Alan Douglas, bequeath the profits from the sale of my assets and financial worth to the not-for-profit Cat Haven Association continuing my lifelong support for feline survival and comfort. I am leaving to my nieces and nephew a remembrance which can be accessed in a safety deposit box.” He slid a key wrapped in notebook paper and a rubber band to the middle of his desk, waiting to see which one of them would grab it first. Donald and Jane simultaneously moved their eyes towards Laura; she put it in her purse.

Donald, in a bit of a stupor, stood and began the formalities of leading them out. He hit the button for the elevator. When the door closed, Donald broke the silence with “Cats for f- sakes, figures coming from a faggot. “ Jane punched him in the arm and said, “What the hell is wrong with you? Oh, I know you’re a politically incorrect pompous ass!” Laura sighed , “ Could you two not start? I agree, Cats? and Donnie, what the hell is wrong with you?” Jane snickered; Donald rolled his eyes. The elevator door opened, emptying the sullen siblings into the lobby. They agreed to meet at the bank in the morning. Donald hailed a cab. Jane put her arm around her sister “I’ve missed you; we need to catch up.”

Right across the street was St Elmo’s Steak House, the oldest and most famous in Indianapolis. It was Uncle Drew who introduced them, on their respective twenty first birthday, to the signature shrimp cocktail drenched in signature horseradish cocktail sauce. Drew delighted in watching their faces as they bit down on their first shrimp and predictably said, “It hurts so good.” The girls found two empty stools and bellied up to the bar. Laura ordered two vodka martinis with blue cheese olives and a shrimp cocktail to share. Laura lifted her glass towards Jane they clinked and toasted. “To Uncle Drew… It hurts so good” The two began to catch up. Laura reached in her purse to pay their check but instead pulled out the paper wrapped key. “I have no idea what he could have left us in a safety deposit box.” Jane responded, “You, of all people, know how he loved a mystery.” `

While her siblings were over a decade apart, Laura floated somewhere in the middle of their lives. Donnie grew up feeling superior and entitled. Everything seemed to come easy to him … even trading wives every decade. Laura was the oldest daughter and youngest child until Jane showed up unplanned eight years later. By the time Jane started school, she was raised like an only child. Jane got away with everything. Laura constantly tried to be perfect; it was not working. Laura had been the one who visited and spent hours sharing her uncle’s passion for Ancestory.com and , “Who- Done- It?” television. Laura struggled with what to do with her life. College had given her a degree, not a career. Five years out of college and working for an IT company, left her feeling unfulfilled. Laura had been consulting with her uncle about her idea for a web-based “Who-Done-It?” Mystery game. Uncle Drew had been encouraging and supportive. Laura always visited her uncle on holidays and never missed a call on Sunday. She felt like she deserved more of an inheritance than the cat shelter. Donnie needed nothing and made fun of his gay uncle behind his back. Jane would probably squander any money pursuing her “authentic self.” Laura berated herself for thinking such selfish thoughts. She loved the time and special bond she had with her uncle After all, she had done it for love, not money.

The next morning, Jane walked through the doors of the bank to Donald’s predictable taunt, “You will be late to your own funeral! Let’s get this show on the road, I have a plane to catch.” Laura walked up to a teller and explained they needed access to the safety deposit box. A manager led the three into the vault and left them with the box. Laura did the honors, pulling out three distinct packages and sliding them in front of the designated recipient. Donald immediately popped open the small jewelry box to reveal a pair of cufflinks. Jane leaned over to look at them and said, “Are those fingerprints encased in glass?” Puzzled Donald opened the accompanying handwritten note. Donald’s cheeks turned the color of pickled beets as he crumpled the note and threw it to the floor. “What an asshole! Screw him, I have a plane to catch,” Donald huffed as he exited the room. Jane dove for the note, smoothed it out, and read aloud.

My Dear Donnie,

I thought this would be an appropriate goodbye to my homophobic nephew. These custom-made cufflinks are my fingerprint. I bet you can guess what finger I used.

Delightfully, your Faggot Uncle.

The girls burst into laughter, and Jane asked if she could keep the cufflinks. Laura smiled and pushed them over to Jane and said, “Your turn. ” Jane opened her letter first.

My Dear Jane,

You remind me of myself as a youth. I did not have the privilege to live my choices out of the closet. Now gay is just one declaration of all the sexual identities to explore. My ’67 Mercedes convertible took me on exciting adventures. I know you loved that car. I had it restored. Drive it with pride. Enjoy your ride through life with my blessings.

Your Proud Gay Uncle, Drew

The box revealed a car key on a gay pride keychain with the details of how to claim the car. Jane squealed with delight turned towards her sister and said, “Your turn.” Laura opened her box to reveal a black yearly planner. She recognized it immediately because she sent a new one to her Uncle every Christmas for the last five years. She quickly opened her note.

My Dearest Laura,

I cherish the times you spent with me and all those Sunday phone calls. I want nothing more than for you to realize your dreams. In the spirit of our shared love of mysteries , I have left clues in my day planner to lead you to your special gift. I know you will enjoy the hunt as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Love, Uncle Drew

PS: You are my favorite.

The girls said their goodbyes in the lobby promising to keep in touch. Laura headed back to her apartment in Chicago reliving the last two days and wondering what crazy trip she was about to take on her uncle’s mystery tour. When she arrived home, she didn’t even unpack before pouring a glass of wine and looking for clues in the black book. Handwritten entries of Dr. appointments, Birthday reminders, lunch dates, comments on events, etc. Laura flipped to her Birthday, July eighth. Laura called to thank me for her gift, Drew noted . Laura remembered he had sent her a beautiful wool scarf with the tartan of the Douglas Clan. Uncle Drew was immensely proud of their Scottish ancestry and had spent long hours studying their lineage. He was the one who told her that many of their Douglas early ancestors had met their demise by being beheaded. Laura went to her closet to get the scarf, wondering if it was some sort of clue. The pattern reminded her of her Catholic grade school uniform, it was all the same blue, green and black plaid. Her uncle had explained to her the rich history of the Douglas tartan colors. Laura had an “aha” moment . Peppered through the entire planner were random words circled with ink in green, blue, and black. Laura began deciphering the code. Eventually the code revealed the contact for a travel agent who was expecting her call.

Uncle Drew had left a round trip ticket to Scotland which included a guided tour of the Douglas Scottish roots and other clues to follow in the beautiful country of her ancestors. One clue led her to a family gravestone. On her tour she visited a beautiful little village called Killin and her uncle’s clue to a small local shop to pick up a hand carved Douglas coat of arms that he had commissioned. Another clue to explore Douglas Castle, a stronghold of their family back to medieval times into the twentieth century. The last stop led her to Daniel Douglas, a third cousin living in Edinburgh. She spent almost a week sharing family stories with her cousin and his family. When she was leaving to go back home, Daniel informed her that although she had reached the end of her tour, Uncle Drew had left one more thing to enrich her life. He handed her a new black day planner and a check for Twenty thousand dollars and informed her she would get that same amount yearly for the next twenty years. Laura opened the black book and recognized the handwriting on the first page.

My Dearest Laura,

Live your dreams.

P.S. The cat shelter only got five grand.

Love Uncle Drew

Laura met a wonderful, funny, man at the luggage carousel on her return flight to Chicago. Two years later they married and had a son named Drew Douglas Patrick. Laura’s Mystery game launched. It was a Scottish mystery to solve based on the Douglas family history with a Detective based on her Uncle Drew. Jane continued searching for her “authentic self” and sexual identity driving in her classic Mercedes with cufflinks swinging from the rear-view mirror as she drove to meet her new nephew. Donald continued to forward pro-Trump videos on Facebook messenger and refused to accept the election results. He continued searching for his fourth wife and had no plan to visit with his sisters.