The Good Life Has Finally Arrived

It was a clear stary night and Tamala Johnson lay on the lounge chair on her back deck looking up at the bright constellations and the gleaming crescent moon. She breathed in deeply through her nose and out slowly through her mouth in sets of 10 in order to wind down. It had been an eventful day and her first in her new home aunt Ginnie left her in her will. It had taken close to 6 months for everything to be straightened out and Tamala was thankful. Great Aunt Ginnie raised her when her parents divorced and her dad left town. Her mom was working 2 jobs so she basically lived in this house with her beloved relative. She poured more bright red Merlot into her glass then raised the wine high over her head in honor of her aunt then took a sip.

The bright twinkling stars were a sign of her good fortune as she thought about how it all began. The moon seemed to be winking at her in confirmation of Tamala’s success. Aunt Ginnie's husband and her two sons had preceded her in death so Tamala and her mom were all she had left. Mom remarried so basically that left Tamala to care for her great aunt all by herself when she became older and frail. Tamala had left the college dorm where she was living to move back in with her aunt and it was difficult. Now great aunt Ginnie was gone and Tamala would soon have her bachelor's degree in Marketing and a job promotion. She snickered to herself thinking about the rumors that aunt Ginnie hid money around the house.

Sometimes family came to visit while her aunt was ill. A couple of them were kind enough to stay with Aunt Ginnie and give her a break. Tamala pretended not to notice when some relatives made excuses to wander around. Someone always had to go to the upstairs bathroom or walks through the kitchen and sitting room to smoke outside on the back deck. Sometimes Tamala noticed a kitchen cabinet door left open or a dresser drawer where the clothing seemed riffled through. Cousin Teenie came by several times on the pretense of wanting to help clean the house but Tamala knew the deal.

She thought of two songs her dad used to play all the time on his stereo when she was a child. “ For the love of money” and “ What people do for money”. She drank a little more wine and reflected upon it all. She heard stories of family members who got into fights or stopped speaking because they did not like what someone outlined in a will. Everyone knew she was her aunts caretaker and deserved everything but still kin folk thought they should have a cut.

While Aunt Ginny was alive Tamala pushed the narrative that it took every dime to care for her aunt, get her to the doctor and keep up the house.She did not even let anyone know she had a life insurance policy on her aunt for $40,000. Everyone believed the nice funeral was paid for in cash. She even heard some of her aunts friends whispering that she had put her away well. Tamala reflected on those women who spent every free moment at church, and were always cooking food for or raising money for the pastor. He told them that caring for him would cause them to reap riches. As far as Tamala could see these ladies all lived based on their varied incomes. Tamala could tell them, but she chose not to that the good life comes to those who plan well and not by pampering a preacher.

Other cousins and even some family friends kept showing up, bringing food and outstaying their welcome until the very end. She appreciated all the kindness but knows some had ulterior motives. Tamala laughed to herself as she recalled some people having the nerve to ask her if she had ever searched for any money in the house. This rumor began after uncle Mac, great aunt Ginnie's husband passed away and one of his sons found a shoebox filled with money underneath the bed when looking for the will. He claimed to have found $20,000 in cash. Uncle Mac was a hardworking man, often working two jobs at a time and he did not like banks.



He was also careless and often dropped money from his pocket on the front, the seat of his vehicle, and even the bathroom. He would leave big bills on the coffee table or the kitchen counter. Ginnie often said it was a wonder that no one had robbed him and she was thankful they had not. When uncle Mac died no one tried to take advantage of his widow, but now that Ginnie was gone, it was game over. Tamala had so many people volunteering to help her clean the house and get it ready for her to move in after probate. Tamala closed her eyes and envisioned sipping her wine at a lake house or on the Riviera.

When Tamala was young she was honest and if she found any money she gave it back. Sometimes uncle Mac would allow her to have it. Now, as she looked up into the awe-inspiring nigh horizon, Tamala chuckled to herself. Even her mom began snooping around after aunt Ginnie passed away. Aunt Ginnie left her mom some valuable jewelry and her collection of paintings and Tamala got the house and it’s other contents. Everyone was looking for that pot of gold and they had no idea that Tamala had already found it. Aunt Ginnie did not like banks any more than her husband but her niece helped her to see their value.



She had taken aunt Ginnie to the bank and had her open several accounts including a money market fund. Aunt Ginnie had worked in her younger years as a domestic and was a tight wad.Rumor had it that the older whit lady she took care of left Aunt Ginnie a good sum of money but no one ever saw evidence of it. Obviously for cash to be all over the house there was something going on besides two retirement checks. This is why Tamala eventually convinced her aunt to open bank accounts. She made sure she deposited in the savings account so that it would draw interest. Tamala’s name was on all the accounts so that when Aunt Ginnie died there was a nice little nest egg. Uncle Mac left $20,000 under the bed but Aunt Ginnie had over $160,000 in the bank. Tamala reached into her jacket pocket and patted the little black book where she had all the information written down. She kept it with her at all times but now, the accounts were all in her name alone. She pulled the book out, kissed it then begin ripping out pages.

She tore them into little pieces and placed them all in a small grocery bag. She wrapped it tight then put it in a garbage bag with other trash and placed it in the big trash can out in the back. She washed her hands, poured another glass of wine then went to sit on the deck again. Tamala smiled as she thought to herself that this was going to be a very good year. Tomorrow she would change the locks and get an alarm system put in. She did not want anyone getting any ideas about her coming into a large sum of money or searching the house. Long after uncle Mac and her cousins passed away, Tamala continued to find money in cans and boxes but she told no one. She raised her glass high and swirled the wine around.

She would not replace the furniture or do any major repairs for a while and she would continue to drive her older model vehicle, for now. She lifted her glass in a toast to the stars then took a sip. Everything was coming together just as it should and she did not have to share one dime with any of her greedy relatives. Who knows how much money they may have found in the house over the years when she was not around. All of that was over now and she was ready for the future which was looking pretty bright.