5680/Black Sky: Thank You for Being a Friend

Black Sky: Thank You for Being a Friend
Date of Scene:	30 October 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Darcy learns of the inheritance that Elektra has left her and it leaves her gobsmacked, sad, and angry. All for various reasons.
Cast of Characters:	Elektra, Darcy Lewis
Tinyplot:	Black Sky

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Elektra has posed:
LeeAnne Verne from the firm of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzburg & Holliway had left a message with one Darcy Lewis in order to set up a meeting over a certain legal matter. There weren't a lot of details to provide to the woman other than it pertained to the Estate of one Elektra Natchios, and that there were certain items that had come up in Ms. Natchios' will attached to Darcy.

It was decided in the end that Ms. Verne would attend to Ms. Lewis at the Triskelion in order to expedite matters, and after a security clearance, she was escorted to a debriefing room to await Darcy's arrival.

She has brought with her a briefcase stuffed with legal briefs, folders, and a laptop, though only one folder sits in front of her at this time.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Elektra's Estate.

The words filled Darcy with a dull ache. She almost wanted to tell the lawyer to fuck off. She almost told everyone to fuck off, not wanting to deal with it today.

But deal with it she did, and at the appointed time, Darcy strides into the conference room as if she owned the whole building.

"Ms. Verne?" she asks as she strides in in her pencil skirt and her too-tall heels.

Elektra has posed:
LeeAnne Verne rises as Darcy enters the room, and extends her hand. "Thank-you for seeing me today. Please, sit and make yourself comfortable. I know this isn't my office, but they assured me on the way in that refreshments could be brought? Might I interest you in some coffee, perhaps? Tea? Water?"

She smiles sympathetically as she retakes her own seat.

"I understand that this may be difficult for you. I'm very sorry for your loss. This is, of course, one of the less happy aspects of my job, having to meet with people such as yourself under these circumstances."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Darcy takes the hand out of habit than out of any sense of polite or friendship. The offer for refreshments in a place where she is the one normally seeing to that strikes Darcy as obsured, and so she laughs at it.

"No. Thanks," she forces out, the laughter dying on Verne's sympathy. Darcy settles into the opposite chair like a queen, back straight, hands on her knee, legs crossed at the ankles.

"Let's just get this over with," she states flatly as the 'sorry for your loss' edges a knife. Darcy hates good-byes, and the only thing she hates more are good-byes that can't ever be shared.

Elektra has posed:
Darcy's attitude and posture speak to moving things along, which Ms. Verne understands. She's seen all sorts of reactions from clients and recipients in this very position. It was, as she'd already remarked, the more difficult part of her job. Still, she liked her job, and she did it well, and despite the difficulty, she enjoyed knowing she did this part well.

"Right, then we'll move along to the business portion of this meeting. As you are well aware, Ms. Natchios had a considerable estate left behind with her passing. She's left you a small token."

She looks at the files before her. "It says here I'm to give you this letter before reading to you the specifics of your inheritance?"

LeeAnne reaches into her briefcase - still open upon the table - and pulls out a thick, cream envelope of expensive rag paper. There is an elegant script upon it, denoting merely, ~Darcy~.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
A small token of a considerable estate. Sure, Darcy had Google stalked her friend just enough to know that the woman was loaded, but that was the end of it. Money didn't ever matter to Darcy. A reason she was still in debt from college. She made enough to sustain herself and her hobbies, give to things that moved her heart, and to pay down her loans as fast as was reasonable. She never lived for the money or the wealth, and so now having someone telling her she had any kind of inheritance at all was just plan odd.

The envelope is reached for and the elegant script read. Darcy pauses in opening the letter, almost as if she's half expecting Elektra to step into the conference room from the auxilary door and declare this was all a joke and man you should have seen the look on your face. This was worse than her grandfather's funreal. Open casket, when she was seven. Twenty years later, it's as clear as the day. He looked asleep, as if he would wake at any moment, laugh and hug her, ruff her hair and offer her some beer.

When had Darcy's vision grown too blurry to see, she wasn't sure, but she blinked the tears away as she torn open the letter to read it.

Elektra has posed:
Ms. Verne sits quietly be as Darcy reads her letter. She's booked the entire afternoon off for this, as per Ms. Natchios instructions and retainer. Darcy has all the time in the world.


My dearest Darcy,

You walked into that coffee shop like you owned the place, and sat yourself down at 'your table'. I half expected you to demand I leave, and was amused by that thought. Even more so by your actual response. I think I knew then that you were someone special.

I offered you a job, not only because you made it clear that you could use the money, but because it would mean I could see you again in a legitimate way. I think I knew, even then, what was coming.

By now you know the secret that I held.

I truly wish things could have been different. You were unlike anyone else I have known, and that was refreshing in ways I can't begin to explain to you.

I offer you a small gift. Not as much as you deserve, but enough to let you know I cared. Certainly not so much as to offend. Take it or leave as you wish - it's yours to do with as you want.

I'm sorry things turned out this way.

~Elektra

Quietly, Ms. Verne hands over tissues to Darcy as she reads.

Darcy Lewis has posed:
The tissues are ignored. Darcy is not ashamed of those tears that streak her face.

The letter is read two or three times before it's folded up and set back into the envelope. A flick of pink against ruby red is Darcy licking her lips.

"What's next?" she asks after those very long moments she read, reread, read again, the letter then packed it away then composed herself so her voice would sound more or less even.

Elektra has posed:
LeeAnne is a very patient woman. She waits until Darcy is ready for the next part, even though it's much longer than many of her compatriots would be comfortable with - even with their billing rates.

"Well, if you would prefer to skip the legalese? Mostly it amounts to the fact that Ms. Natchios was of sound mind and body and these are her last wishes. That she wished these portions of her estate dispersed to those persons who had made a difference in her life, and in some small way she could return the favour." PLus a couple other endowments, but there were only two personal items in Elektra's will: Matt Murdock, and Darcy Lewis. The rest were funds set up to cover certain charitable groups and foundations.

"It says here that Ms. Natchios has left you five million dollars. There remains a small matter of some legal paperwork to sign, and for the actual transferring of the monies, but that is the amount to which you have been left. I do have the paperwork here right now if you would care?"

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Legalese. Darcy nods, wanting to skip it since it will just be white noise in which Darcy will let herself start thinking again and she'd end up either punching or fucking the poor lawyer. Right now, Darcy wasn't sure which one.

So, she sat in silence, listening to LegaleseLite for Dummies. There's an almost grin when Matt's name is mentioned. Because it's sweet that it's him.

Not that it's him and HER. No, sweet that it's Matt and nothing else. Darcy's thoughts are starting to wander when, like a needle being drug across a spinning record, three little words bring all of Darcy's thoughts to a screeching halt.

Five.... Million. As in... Mike Myers - MILLION dollars?! As in, six zeroes? Three orders of manitude higher than she normally thinks in? The units kilometers are counted in when discussing interplanetary distances? Thanks, Jane.

Asked a question, Darcy lifts her gaze to Verne. Her eyes are wide and uncomprehending. Brows draw together and it looks very much like Darcy has lost the ability to think in any language.

Gratz, E. You stunned Darcy speechless from beyond the grave. You can go to Heaven now.

Elektra has posed:
There's a gentle smile from Ms. Verne. She knows that look well enough. "Yes. Five million," she tells the other woman, even though Darcy doesn't actually vocalize the question. "Less inheritance tax of course, but you'll still end up with a fair enough sum. Enough to do with as you wish, as per Ms. Natchios' instructions. We can recommend a good investment lawyer should you care to invest and live off of the interest. That, too, has been provided for. It was Ms. Natchios' wish that you understand her gratefullness, not to be burdened by the gift."

She pulls out the paperwork that would need signing, but allows Darcy time to process before offering it over, especially as she's bits to consider, such as the investment route.

"Personally, I would recommend the investment lawyer. But you are under no obligation to take that advice. It isn't an official legal position. Merely an observation."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
Stunned, Darcy doesn't know what to do about this, at all. She's never had more than a few hundred dollars in her bank account at any one time. Usually that's pay day righ tbefore auto draft payments go through. And then Darcy's down to her meager living funds until the next paycheck. It's more than it has been since she opted to live where she worked, but it's still not anywhere near this amount of money. And even though she's not at all used to having this amount for herself, Darcy's no stranger to large sums and absurdly tight budgets.

Astrophysics grant money is a thing. And so are showers, Jane!

"I..." Darcy stops when she feels her voice wanting to wobble. She swallows and licks her lips.

"An investment lawyer is fine. Ra-... Umm... Ms. Nachado-... Nach-... E hired the lawyer?"

Elektra has posed:
"Ms. Natchios was quite thorough in her instructions. She made certain that neither yourself nor Mr. Murdock should be burdened by her gifts."

Her smile is gentle as she passes over the relevant papers and explains what they are, letting Darcy check them out.

"I can also leave those with you to consider and have them picked up at your convenience. By no means should you feel pressured to make a decision on what to do with the monies, but they are yours."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
"I know I'm not pressured," Darcy says, eyes on the paperwork. She reads them, knowing just enough legalese to make out that it all looks on the right side of up. She collects a pen to sign. She has no idea what to do with it all just yet. And she's not going to think about it. That lawyer will need to be spoken to first.

Elektra has posed:
When the paperwork is all signed, Ms. Verne collects them, and nods, putting them all together into their folder. "These will be filed. There will be a short processing window before the funds arrive to you, but this is really the worst of it."

She gives another of those gentle smiles to Darcy. "The investment specialist will be in contact with you. They're very good. Ms. Natchios was very specific about who to procure. You're in good hands, Ms. Lewis. I understand how difficult all this is, but please know that your friend wished you the very best."

Darcy Lewis has posed:
It's that final line that has Darcy's molars grinding into each other. She won't say it. She'll think it though: HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU KNOW!?!?!?

"Thank you, Ms. Verne," darcy says through clentched teeth. Her hands move, and to avoid them punching Darcy places them on the table top and uses them to shove herself up to her feet. She feels heavier than she had earlier this morning.

It's rude to just turn and leave. Darcy's aware of this, but she does it anyway.

Elektra has posed:
And there it was, just one of the many expected reactions to situations such as this. Not that it bothered Ms. Verne. She wasn't one to take this as a personal affront. And, as it happened, Ms. Natchios had been very explicit in what she wanted done, and why. It may have been a small stretch from explaining why she was setting things up the way she had (such as the investment lawyer already paid for and engaged, and a very particular one at that - hand picked by Elektra), to 'she wished you the best', but LeeAnne didn't think she was very far off the mark.

Especially when one considered Elektra had gone outside her very own, and vast, cadre of lawyers to choose the firm she did to settle her estate. It all spoke of a certain care, and deliberte message.