Sonia sat at her mahogany desk, the desk of the old man she watched walking past her circular drive.  She looked at her watch, 2:30 P.M.

            “Right on time,” she said to herself.

            Ever day, Sonia’s 89-year-old father, Theo, walked past her window, smiled, waved, turned left, and walked down the stone path to his one-bedroom cottage, some 200 feet away.  Sonia’s husband, Merrill, built the cozy dwelling complete with a wrap-around deck after Isabella, Sonia’s mother died.

            No one knew what Theo did with his time.  They were all content to know he was okay and left him to his own business.

            Caring for Theo was almost unnecessary.  He was extremely healthy, had no medicines he had to take, and kept himself a little garden to the side of his cottage. 

            Once, when he passed Sonia as she was getting into her gray, Lincoln Navigator, she said, “Father, you really need to slow down.  You’re not a spry chicken anymore.”

            Theo smiled.  “I will go when I decide it’s time to leave.”

            Sonia shook her head, laughed, and got into her car and left.

            Sonia was grateful for Theo’s good health because her life was too full to have to monitor the old man.  She was a financial consultant who worked from home.  Self-employed, Sonia spent hours keeping up with economic shifts and legislative changes that could impact her clients.  No, there was no time for Theo, and if he were not in such good health, she and Merrill would have placed him in an assistant living community long ago, which would have saved them the cost of the cottage.

            Merrill was vice president at Commons Savings and Loan Bank.  The Montgomerys had a solid marriage based on the dollars and cents they earned for and from their clients.

            The children, Bennet and Margot, attended the prestigious Pagenette Preparatory School.  Margot was a junior who wanted to attend Brown University, and Bennet had his eye set on Georgetown.  They were both very busy with their school careers, yet, they hardly knew one another.

            One other piece of information is needed for the background of this story.  The Tudor house, stables, gardens, two Olympic-sized swimming pools, and tennis courts that sat on the 120-acre estate all belonged to Theo.  Everything was in a trust, except for the small sum that came to Theo each month.  In his wisdom, Theo had told his daughter that while they could live on the estate, they had to make their own way as he had done.

            Theo loved his family dearly.  They were his people, and he would have gladly given his life for them.  But, he also saw that all four of them were bound to the lures of the world: money, prestige, and power.  Since they never came to see him, he watched from the distance of his cottage the comings and goings of his children.

            Now, it must be said here that when Theo first moved into the cottage, he had tried several times to visit them.  But, sadly, they were always too busy.  Once, when he caught Margot just before she was on her way out again, his granddaughter said to him, “Sorry, Gramps, gotta run.”  She opened he door to her Mustang convertible and turned around. Looking sheepish, she said, “You know, sometimes, I almost forget you’re over there in that cottage.  We’re going to have to change that.”  But, nothing ever changed.

            On another occasion, Theo stopped to visit Sonia.  He had just returned from his daily visit with friends in the nearby town of Trocaire.  He rang the bell of the great house.  When the butler opened the door, he bowed from the waist and said, “Good to see you, Mr. Dagda.”

            Theo slapped Elliot on the back and said, “Good to see you, too, old friend.  How’s your back?”

            “Oh, much better sir, now that you’ve given me that balm for it.”

            “Excellent,” Theo said.  “If you could tell my daughter, I am here to see her, I would appreciate it.”

            Theo waited an obviously long time before Elliot’s return.”

            “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, sir.  Madam was on the phone.”

            Thanking Elliot, Theo said he could find his own way to the office since it had once been his.

            “Very good, sir,” Elliot said, bowed once again, and left.

            Before Theo even closed the door to the grand office, Sonia came to him.  She hugged him and kissed him lightly on both cheeks.  “It is good to see you.  Is everything all right?”

            “I’m fine.  Just thought I’d come see my lovely daughter.  I was just on my way back from town.”

            “Father, what in the world do you do every day when you go there?”

            “Oh, just visit with friends in the park.  Play a few games of checkers.  You know.”

            “Oh, Father, hanging out with that riff raff isn’t good.  For heaven’s sake most of them are homeless.”

            “They spend a few hours with me, and we have a good time.  Nothing wrong with that,” Theo said.

            “But, Father, oh, never mind,  you’re going to do as you will.  You always have.  So, why have you come to see me?  I am really busy.”

            “I already told you.  I just wanted to visit with my child.”

            Sonia tapped her perfectly manicured finger on the leathered blotter in front of her.  “Well, since you’re here, there have been a few things on my mind.”

            “Yes?” Theo asked.

            “Well, you see, next year Bennet is wanting to attend Georgetown, and the year after, Margot is planning to attend Brown.  Even with scholarships, the tuitions alone will be in excess of each well over $60,000 a year, not including fees, housing, and books.”

            “And?”

            “Father, don’t make this difficult for me.  You know what I’m asking.”

            Theo sighed.  “You want me to sign the estate and trust over to you.”

            “Yes, it’s only sensible.  Nothing will change for you, but it will help your grandchildren immensely.”

            “Why can’t they just earn a trade?”

            “Oh, come now, Father. Get your head out of the clouds.  The days of starting a humble carpentry business, and ending up as – as . . .”

            “As well, practically being the owner of the world.  Those days of rags to riches are over.  I would think you would want the best for Margot and Bennet.”

            “And, you believe these two universities are the very best for them?”

            “Absolutely.  Merrill and I both do.  Why some of the most powerful and reputable men and women have called Brown and Georgetown their alma maters.”

            “Let me think about this,” Theo said.  He stood and kissed his daughter and left.

            The days passed.  Sonia would watch from her window as Theo took his daily visits into town.  Each day, she hoped her father would stop and give his answer.  He didn’t.  Finally, she decided her father had chosen to ignore her plea.  In her anger, she thought, He never cared for me anyway.”

            Finally, after a year, Theo went to the big house.  No one was home, according to Elliot.  So, Theo left four, gold-embossed envelopes for each family member.  He asked Elliot to have them RSVP by the next day.

            While Theo sat on his deck that evening looking at the endless array of stars in the night sky and enjoying their beauty, Elliot gave all family members their envelopes.

            When Bennet read his invitation, he threw the card on the mahogany coffee table that stood between two Mario Bellini couches.  “I don’t have time for his birthday party.  It may be too late to register for Georgetown, he has waited so long.  Saturday night, I have a conference game, and I’m quarterback.”

            “Yes, and I have a sleepover at Leslie’s.  Some girls who have already been accepted to Brown will be there.  I have to go,” Margot said.

            Merrill poured himself a Scotch from the glass and chrome bar.  “He really should have given more notice.  Sonia, we have that dinner planned with those prospective clients you’ve been courting for the last few months.  We can’t cancel that.”

            Sonia said, “Father is just being rude and cantankerous.  Maybe we should consider any assistant living facility.”

            So, Elliot returned the invitations on the next day.

            Theo saw his family’s “regrets” written on each invitation.  “I see.” He looked at Elliot and said, “Well, let the celebration continue.  Elliot, would do me the honor of bringing your family to my birthday banquet on Saturday?”

            Elliot was too shocked to speak, but felt predisposed to decline, but Theo insisted.  “And, bring any other family member you may have.”

            Elliot nodded.

            The banquet that Saturday was a glorious affair.  Leroy Jones, Theo’s checker game adversary brought his banjo.  Nelda Douglas sang several gospel songs like, The Old Rugged Cross and I’ll Fly Away.

            People were laughing and teasing Theo about turning 90, at which he said, “Oh, I got you all fooled.  I get younger every day.”

            Elliot caught him once and said, “Sir, I’m sorry your people didn’t come.”

            Theo smiled sadly.  “I am, too, Elliot, but all things work out the way they are supposed to.”

            A little after midnight, Theo’s guests left, but not until they had thanked him for the sumptuous food that as Gabe Wright said, “. . . was better than any mean I have ever eaten.”

            That night, Theo lay on his bed and decided it was time for him to leave.  He closed his eyes and said, “Heart, time to stop,” and it did.

            After the closed and subdued funeral, the family watched as Theo’s mortal remains were laid to rest in the family mausoleum.

            A week later, the family attorney came to the house for the reading of the will.  Mr. Ackerman, surprised everyone when he asked that Elliot to be present at the reading of Theo’s last wishes.  Mr. Ackerman read the will that had been revised six months before.

            “With sound mind and no duress or other influence, I, Theo Dagda, leave my entire earthly assets to Lawrence Elliot, who is to build several domiciles on the 120-acre estate for my friends, as listed:  Leroy Jones, Nelda Douglas, Gabe Wright, Lester Pate, Missy Caldwell, and Jabo Jackson.  If Mr. Elliot fails to fulfill these obligations, I deem all assets to be given to the Hope Children’s Hospital.  My daughter and her husband and her two children have 90 days to leave the estate.  They may take their personal items, including their mortgaged cars.  Sonia Dagda Montgomery may also have her mother’s extensive jewelry collection.  My grandchildren, Bennet Clement Montgomery and Margot Catherine Montgomery will be given $50,000 for the continuance of their education.”

            Sonia stood.  “This is ridiculous!  I most certainly will contest this.”

            Mr. Ackerman calmly said, “I am afraid your father said you would try to do that.  He has had himself given thorough mental and physical examinations and has included a no-contest clause in the will, so I am afraid you have no grounds.” 

            “What does that mean – no-contest clause?”

            “It means, my dear Mrs. Montgomery,” Mr. Ackerman said, “that if you contest this will and lose, which you surely will, you will also lose the jewelry and money for your children’s education.”

            Bennet was the first to say anything.  “Well, I always knew Gramps had a heart of stone.  Guess I need to start looking at community colleges and see what I can sell my Stingray for.”

            Margot followed.  “Yep, well, that’s the end of the free ride.  I guess I need to find a job.”

            Sonia was crying.  Merrill was trying to comfort her.  “They’re building some nice high rise apartments in that new building, the Illusion Towers.”

            Sonia only cried louder.

            Elliot watched the stricken family.  In his mind he was thinking, “You never really knew your father at all.”