Part 5

He also questioned whether I had the experience to manage such a large estate. Rebecca responded by presenting records of Eleanor’s independent meetings with Daniel Mercer. She introduced the medical assessment completed near the time the estate documents were signed, along with notes showing that Eleanor had explained her assets, family relationships, and reasons for changing her plan. Judge Harrison reviewed the materials carefully. Then he reached the employment verification Rebecca had submitted. He paused and looked toward me. “Ms. Bennett, are you currently serving as an attorney in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps?” I stood. “Yes, Your Honor.” Richard turned toward me. “She’s a military attorney?” Judge Harrison looked in his direction. “Mr. Bennett, please allow the proceedings to continue.” My mother stared at me, clearly surprised. For years, she’d repeated the assumption that I worked in an administrative position. Now she was learning that I’d built a career she had never bothered to understand. The judge continued. “Ms. Bennett’s professional background may clarify certain statements in the filing, but it does not establish whether Mrs. Eleanor Bennett’s estate plan is valid. That determination must rest on the relevant evidence.” I appreciated his words. My career wasn’t the secret that mattered most. Eleanor’s intentions were. Rebecca then introduced the loan agreements documenting the $620,000 outstanding balance. My parents’ attorney questioned their relevance, and Judge Harrison explained that the records could be considered only insofar as they helped clarify Eleanor’s estate-planning decisions and the issues before the court. Richard was asked about the documents during his testimony. “Mr. Bennett, do you recognize these agreements?” Rebecca asked. “Yes. My mother helped us with several business expenses.” “Did you sign documents acknowledging that the funds were loans?” He hesitated. “Yes, but we had an understanding.” “Was that understanding documented separately?” “No.” Rebecca presented correspondence in which Eleanor had requested repayment updates. “Did your mother ask you to provide a repayment schedule?” “Yes.” “Did you provide the complete schedule she requested?” Richard looked down. “Not a complete one.” Rebecca didn’t argue with him. She simply moved to the next document, allowing the written records to establish the history of the transactions. Daniel Mercer then testified about Eleanor’s estate-planning process. He described their independent meetings, the medical assessment, and the precautions taken to ensure that Eleanor understood her decisions. He explained that she’d considered her previous financial assistance to Richard and Diane and had expressed a clear desire to leave her remaining estate to Caroline. “Was Caroline present when Eleanor instructed you to prepare the final documents?” Rebecca asked. “No.” “Did Caroline participate in drafting them?” “No. Eleanor gave her instructions independently.” “Did Eleanor explain why she wanted Caroline to be her sole beneficiary?” “Yes. She said Caroline had maintained a consistent relationship with her without making financial requests, and she wanted her estate to reflect her own priorities.” My mother looked toward Richard, but he kept his eyes on the table. Rebecca then asked to introduce a recorded statement Eleanor had made during one of her estate-planning meetings. Daniel had preserved the recording with her written instructions, and the court considered its foundation and relevance before allowing it to be presented. When Grandma’s voice filled the courtroom, I felt tears gather in my eyes. It was the first time I’d heard her speak since her final weeks. “I want my family to understand that this decision belongs to me,” Eleanor said.