“Why?”

Fred took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Jason. I know this wasn’t what you expected.”

“I won’t take it.”

I’d hit Fred’s button. “Just a moment.” He said it angrily and with exasperation. I hadn’t seen him like this. “You have no idea what you are saying.”

“But I don’t want it. I refuse.”

“Then I’ll take it,” Eric said, his eyes wide. “Give it to me. What’s the problem?”

“At least listen to him.” Katie had rebooted.

“Just tell me why he changed it,” I said.

Fred was calm again. He shook his head. “I don’t know why. When he instructed me to revise his will, I asked him why, but he chose not to confide in me.”

“He could at least have told me,” I said.

“I think he would have. But there was no opportunity.”

“When did he come up with this brilliant strategy?”

“We first discussed it several months ago. He signed the will at my house Saturday evening last week and died on his way home.”

On his way home. That was past stupidity, deep into farce. I couldn’t even think, only feel, and all I felt was anger. Why couldn’t he have said something to me? When did we even last talk? Two months ago? Three? What did it mean? Why am I here?

It was all too much. Minutes passed and I just sat, and the others knew better than to break my silence.

At least Fred and Katie knew better. “Deal with it, man. If someone gives you fifty million dollars, you just say yes. This is not hard to figure out.”

It was too plain to put into words, but I tried. “I just want something to live on and to get rid of the rest.”

“You can live on whatever you want.”

“I don’t want to be Melvin.”

That shut him up. He didn’t even know what it meant.