It was exactly 8:am the next morning when the doorbell rang.
"Who would that be at this time of the morning?" Leroy said to himself as he wasn't expecting them to receive visitors so early just a day after the funeral.
He looked through the CCTV camera feed and was shocked at who he saw standing at the door.
It was Barrister Sam, Mr. Luthers' trusted legal adviser.
Barrister Samuel Lurst was a man in his late 60's, and he had been Mr. Luthers' lawyer for more than forty years prior to his death.
He was a very tall man and very strong for his age too.
He had a law firm that managed several wealthy men and women as well as companies and so he was hardly seen in public.
The fact that he drove down by himself meant that he was on a very important mission. Leroy could tell.
"Good Morning Barrister Sam! It's such a surprise to see you here this morning". Leroy said as he ushered him into one of the living rooms.
This living room was like an all-white cathedral that had custom-made leather chairs and a large chandelier in the middle. It had a balcony that overlooked a mini beach.
It had stained glass windows and the floor was made of fine wood. It had a large fireplace and a large LCD screen that was hardly used as no one usually stayed there long enough to bother to use it.
There was a glass center table that rested on a lovely Persian rug in the middle.
It also had a mini bar at the corner of the room, with all the exotic wines one could imagine.
When Samuel Lurst had taken his seat, he turned to Leroy and said... "I am here on a very important business and with specific instructions from my dearly departed principal Mr. Luther. And I would love to speak with his wife and children please".
"Okay Sir, I would go and wake them up straight away". Leroy said as he left the living room and disappeared up the stairs to fetch Mrs. Sierra Luther.
"Good day Sir", Maxwell the butler said as he walked into the room.
"What would you like to have? And would you like the cook to prepare something for you?" He asked Samuel Lurst.
"Water would be just fine Max, thank you". Samuel Lurst replied with a wide smile on his face.
"Good morning Sam", Gabriel said as he walked into the living room. "I thought I heard your voice from my room, so I decided to come down and check. It's such a pleasant surprise to see you this morning".
Just as they were done exchanging pleasantries, Leroy returned with Sierra following closely behind.
"Good morning Mr. Sam", Sierra said in her usual seductive voice. "And what brings you to our home so early this morning? I thought the reading of the will wouldn't be for a few days?". She asked with a puzzled look on her face.
Maxwell returned with a glass of water which he placed beside Samuel Lurst.
"Good Morning Sierra", Sam Lurst greeted with a straight face. "We are not quite at that bridge yet. There are a few hurdles we would need to cross before we get there".
"Hurdles?" Gabriel asked with an inquisitive expression on his face. "What do you mean by hurdles, Sam?" Gabriel asked.
"That is the reason I came here so early this morning so that we can start the process, because the longer the delay, the more we postpone the reading of the will". Samuel Lurst replied.
"But we cannot proceed because every member of the Luther family is not present".
"You can speak freely with us, I believe we can relate your words to the rest". Sierra said.
But Samuel Lurst insisted that he was under specific instructions from Mr. Luther that all his family be present for that meeting so Sierra went upstairs to get the rest of them.
She returned with Michael and Stacey following her but Tracey wasn't with them.
"I believe there is one person remaining", Barrister Samuel said.
"Well... She's adopted!" Stacey retorted.
"Yes, she is, but she is as much a part of this family as any one of is us. So watch your words, Stacey!" Gabriel cautioned her.
"I'll go get her", Leroy said as he disappeared up the stairs.
After a few minutes, he returned with Tracey and she took her seat.
"Can we begin now that she's here?" Michael said with a disdainful look on his face.
Leroy was about to take his leave from the living room when Sam Lurst stopped him.
"You can stay Leroy". He said.
"What? Michael and Stacey exclaimed. "Why should he stay?" Stacey asked in bewilderment.
"I thought this meeting was for family members only?" Michael asked.
"Yes, it is. But Leroy is here on the explicit request of Mr. Luther". Samuel Lurst replied.
This piece of information made it impossible for them to protest any further even though they were against Leroys' presence.
Samuel Lurst picked up the briefcase which he placed on his lap and opened it. Then he brought out an envelope that was sealed with the Luther emblem.
He passed it to Gabriel who checked it to see that the seal had not been tampered with and then he passed it on to Sierra, who did the same.
Michael and Stacey didn't bother checking before it was returned to the lawyer.
He broke the seal and gently brought out a white sheet of paper which had his chambers letterhead.
There was palpable tension in the room as he prepared to read the contents of the paper.
He read as follows,
I, Henry Luther, residing at 1 Luther Way, Luther Island, declare this to be the first part of my Will, and I revoke any and all wills and codicils I previously made.
It is my desire that my family be united as one I'm my death and I hereby on the advice if my lawyers asked that my will be read thirty days from the day of my interment.
All members of my nuclear family who are included in the will are to spend those thirty days in Luther Island.
With no unnecessary outside visitors except for essential maids and help.
On the thirtieth day after the reading if this will, you shall all gather for the reading of the will.
Anyone who does not last the full thirty days will be believed to have forfeited his/her inheritance.
I believe that this would bring about the unity that this family.
Signed
Henry Luther.
"This is absolute nonsense!" Michael shouted. "One month? You mean I have to spend one month with you folks to collect my inheritance?" He asked angrily.
He then got up and stormed out of the living room. Stacey, who was visibly offended by the reading got up and followed him, trying to calm him down.
"Whew!" Gabriel let out a huge sigh. "I definitely didn't see that one coming". He said with a wry smile on his face.
"Yes Gabriel, your father, Mr, Henry Luther was always a very unpredictable man who always had a trick up his sleeve. I am sure he has his reasons for this". Samuel Lurst replied him.
Mrs. Sierra Luther sat quietly on her seat while looking directly at the lawyer. Her look? Expressionless!
Then suddenly, her face broke into a smile, and then she said.
" My dear late husband was always one for the dramatic. And even in his death, he has got us acting in one of his plays", she said with a smile still on her face.
She got up from her seat and asked "I guess that will be all for now barrister Samuel?"
"Yes, that will be all. Thank you, Mrs. Luther". He replied.
"See you both on the island". She said as she took a glance at Gabriel and Tracey.
"I guess I'll be seeing you there too", she said as she walked past Leroy and up the stairs.
"I would like to take my leave now". Barrister Sam said as he closed the briefcase and got up to his feet.
" Thank you for coming here this morning and doing this for this family". Gabriel said as he gave Barrister Samuel a warm handshake and escorted him to the door.
When the lawyer had taken his leave, Gabriel returned back to the living room to find Leroy still there along with Tracey.
" This is going to be one hell of a month!" He said to them as he fell back into his chair.
"You can say that again!" Leroy replied and he worriedly rubbed his fingers along his forehead.
Back in her room, Sierra Luther was grinning with Joy. The information given to her had proved true.
Suddenly Michael barged into the room smiling at her.
"That was quite some acting you did down there!" You could win an Oscar For that!" She joked with him.
Michael laughed hysterically and said...
"Your information was correct! We have thirty days to make sure they miss that reading at all costs!"
"They have no idea, what's about to hit them!" Sierra said with a cold tone.