"Mary Anne didn't tell you about me?"
"Not… exactly."
Kathy took a sip of her orange juice. Her companion was almost done with his breakfast and she hadn't even started.
Jesse was staring again, and she decided to take another sip, maybe a long drink, to give her time to think what she wanted to say.
"I'm waiting," he pushed, chewing the last bite of his toast.
"She did mention your name once, but nothing more."
Jesse wiped his mouth with a napkin and drank some water.
"I worked for her. I was her personal assistant - typed the manuscripts of her novels, went to the bank, to the post office, booked her plane tickets… took care of most of the phone calls and things like that."
"I see."
"And she never told you about me," he sounded surprised and somewhat deceived. "It's strange."
"Why so? Our friendship lasted but a couple of weeks."
"Enough for you to be included in her will."
Suddenly, it struck her.
"That's why you're here. You don't think I deserve that gesture. Well, let me tell you something: I am as shocked as you are. I can only acknowledge that she was tremendously thoughtful, generous and kind, but I have no intention of accepting her gift if that is going to cause a sense of unease in any of her relatives or friends."
"I didn't expect to be included either, until she called me two weeks ago. In that phone call she informed me of her plans regarding you and me. That is why I'm here today. Only I thought she had given you some hint of her arrangements."
Kathy waited for him to continue. He, by now, was sure she had no idea of what he was going to tell her.
"Kathy, did you like the island?"
"Erm, of course, it's my… favourite location in the world. That's why I went there in the first place."
"I'm glad, because I was hoping we could go back together next week."
The young woman's whole face was a big question mark.
"We are going to inherit some real estate there."
Kathy tried to rearrange the old and the new information in her head.
"But… I thought Mrs. Sloan was a tourist on the island, just like me. She was staying at a Bed & Breakfast."
"Patty's Bed & Breakfast?"
"Yes!"
"Next to the Pink Roses Hotel?"