The Surprise by Donna Page 10/04/2021 ©

 The Surprise by Donna Page 10/04/2021 ©

“Its just an envelope, right?” Elizabeth told herself.

Sure, it was from Blake & Russel Law. Sure, Grandpa Lewis had said she would get a surprise from him when she turned 21. And he was the first Blake in Blake & Russel. And she was 21 yesterday.

Lewis had died when she was just 12 years old. He had told her about the surprise in the weeks before his death.  She had all but forgotten about it.  Her Grandmother gave her Lewis’s pocket watch when he past.  At 12 that was a great surprise.  She loved that watch; she had always been mesmerised by the movement.  She carried it everywhere.

She sat with the watch in her hand.  The side etching rubbed smooth from Elizabeth running her fingers around the Elgin watch face when she was sad, nervous or studying. According to the back it was a railroad model.  This made her smile, she would always imagine Grandpa as the Fat Controller from Thomas, looking at his watch, keeping the trains on time.

With watch in one hand, gently rubbing the face with her thumb, and the envelope in her other, she walked down the paddock to the big Ghost Gum.  The same tree Grandpa tied a tyre to when she was little.  The same tree he etched her name in when she was three.  She could read it then, now it was high amongst the branches.

Resting against the tree, Elizabeth took a deep breath. She knew Grandpa Lewis was a good man.  He had lived comfortably and worked hard.  He gave of himself always.  Giving was part of his world.  He taught her that hard work was the way to success.

She opened the letter slowly.  Out fell a photograph.  Grandpa and a newborn baby. On the back was written “Our Angel arrived today” and her birthdate. 

Along with the photo was a bankbook. One of those old fashion grey ones.  The ones that looked a bit like it had fabric covers. Still in the plastic sleeve. Pulling it free of its sleeve was hard.  Been in there for quite some time.  It felt frail to touch.  Her name was on the front in Grandpa’s graceful handwriting.

Elizabeth slowly opened the book.  Elizabeth Angel Parker-Blake and the words “In Trust” was typed on the first page.

The second page contained only one entry, on the date of her birth.  One single deposit, an amount that will change world. An amount a newly graduated teacher could only dream about. An amount with 7 digits.

Elizabeth found her phone and tapped in the number for her Aunt Belle.  She was the family accountant.   “Hi Aunty, ummm, could you answer a question for me, how much interest would a bank account earn in 21 years”.