The cream-colored envelope arrived on a Tuesday morning, wedged between credit card offers and grocery store flyers. I might have thrown it away with the rest of the junk mail if not for the return address: “Morrison, Kessler & Associates, Estate Planning Attorneys.”
I was running late for work, coffee growing cold on the kitchen counter, but something about that envelope made me pause. My name was typed across the front in formal black letters: “Ms. Taylor Marie Stevens.” Not “Taylor Stevens” like my bills, or “Tay” like my friends called me. This was official.
We regret to inform you that Ms. Alina Catherine Rodriguez, your birth mother, passed away on March 15th following a brief illness. As per her final wishes, we are contacting you regarding her estate.
Ms. Rodriguez left specific instructions that you be informed of her passing and her feelings toward you. She wished for you to know that she followed your life from afar through the adoption agency’s annual updates, and that she was immensely proud of the woman you became. She deeply regretted never reaching out personally but felt it was important not to interfere with the family who raised you.
Ms. Rodriguez has named you as the sole beneficiary of her estate, which includes:
– Her primary residence at 847 Maple Grove Lane – Life insurance policy proceeds: $65,000 – Savings and investment accounts: $54,000 – Personal property and furnishings
Total estimated value: $187,000
Please contact our office at your earliest convenience to discuss the transfer of these assets.
Sincerely, Janet Morrison, Esq.
