Chapter 1 Family is rarely convenient. Case in point: Uncle Obadiah Horace Pickwick. Despite his summons to discuss his will, likely brought on by hospitalization for chest pains, I won't be flying to Pickwick, North Carolina. As I explained to his ancient attorney before he put me on hold, as much as I like my uncle, I can't get out from under my work load on such short notice. Of course, neither am I ready to return to the town I escaped twelve years ago. Staring at the phone on my desk, I will Artemis Bleeker to return to the line, but the music continues to drone from the speakerphone. Whine, whine. "Oh ma darlin'…" Groan, groan. "You left me standin' here…" Wah, wah. "Left me starin' after you." "Yeah, yeah." I flop back in my chair. "Cry me a river." "Well, ma dear"--the nasal voice drops several octaves--"I'm back." I roll my eyes. "Nice lyrics." "What'd ya say, Piper?" It's him! I grab the receiver. "Mr. Bleeker--" "You're no longer a little girl, Piper Pickwick. Do address me by ma first name." As he had asked me to do when I took his call, after which I politely informed him I had dropped the "Pick" part of my name. Though he spluttered over my "butcherin' " of the family name, I didn't defend myself. But had I, my defense would have been based more on the Pickwicks' scandalous reputation than on the nursery rhyme alliteration that plagued me through my school years. Piper Wick clears her throat. "Thank you, Artemis. I'll try to remember that. So you said the doctors are runningmore tests to determine the cause of Uncle Obe's chest pains." "They are, but your uncle is certain it's heart failure. And a man knows his own body. Um-hmm." "But so far the tests have come back negative." "These things can be elusive." Especially when it's simply indigestion. Certain that has to be it, I'm relieved. I spent little time in my uncle's presence, but he was never unkind to me, unlike the other Pickwicks. You are over that. It's Uncle Obe we're talking about--a black sheep like you. True, not only did he increasingly shun society the older he got, even forgoing marriage, but unlike his three brothers, he was always upstanding. Not a smidgen of inappropriate behavior--at least in the "criminal" sense. Now in the "odd" sense… "Uh, what was Uncle Obe doing when he started having chest pains?" "Just sittin' in his hospital bed watchin' a rerun--" "He was in the hospital when he started to have chest pains?" "What?" Artemis barks. "Ya think a man his age survives such a terrible accident without payin' a price?" Where is Scripture when I need it? Not committed to memory like I encourage my Christian clients. Fortunately, something of an alternative exists, Band-Aid strength though it may be: close eyes, breathe slowly through the nose, exhale slowly from the mouth… "Piper! Did I lose ya?" I clap a hand to my chest. Was Artemis booming when Uncle Obe's chest pains started? "I'm just wondering why you didn't say anything about an accident." "'Course I did." He's old. Very old. And should have retired from practicing law years ago! &ldquo Excerpted from Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
