"Thank you, Joe. Now—we must talk about the will." She walked to a writing table that stood in a bow window and returned with checks in her hand. "The estate goes to me with the exception of ten thousand dollars to each of you and ten thousand to Kate." She gave Joe two checks and handed the other to Brendan. "This is coming out of the insurance which I'm supposed to get next week, so if you will hold these until the first of the month . . . " She smiled. "There's a stipulation. The money must be spent within one year on something that makes you feel good."
"That shouldn't be hard," Brendan said.
"Thank you," Joe said. "I really wasn't expecting . . . " The money in the family had always been Ann's, although his father's paintings had begun to sell in recent years.
"Additionally, Joe, you are to have this drawing of your mother." She pointed to a framed drawing that was propped up on the writing table. "And first choice of any painting in the barn."
"That's very nice," Joe said.
"Your father always said you should have this drawing. It was one of his favorite pieces from the early years."
"I'll take it with me."
"How long are you going to be staying?" she asked.
"I thought I'd take off the day after tomorrow. I just wanted to see you and Brendan and . . . "
"I'll be here all week," Brendan said, "if anything needs doing."