Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“That she was.”
“It probably won’t come as a shock that she left me a series of letters to give to you at certain points.” He lifted the envelope on his desk and extended it to me. “This one was to be passed along if you decided to come to Tuscany.”
My smile widened. “No, not surprising at all. But very good news. I loved the last letter.”
Antonio nodded and got down to business after that. He went over what he’d already told me on the phone, then talked about the process of probating a will in Italy.
“First, I’ll need the death certificate.” He slid a paper across the desk. “You can request one online through the Commune of Montepulciano portal. The web address is there. If you’d like, you can have it sent directly to my office to avoid another trip.”
“Great, thank you.”
“Once I receive the certificate, I will file it with the notary, who then makes the formal publication of the will—la pubblicazione del testamento. After you’ve met the condition to receive your inheritance, we’ll accept it with the court, and you’ll need to file a declaration of succession. This document includes a detailed listing of all the deceased’s property—addresses, bank account numbers, et cetera. Your grandmother said to tell you you’ll find what you need in a file cabinet in the attic.” He smiled. “She also told me to let you know it’s in a box labeled DO NOT OPEN. She figured the reverse psychology would make sure at least one nosy person got inside.”
I laughed, but the breath that came after felt heavy. I really missed her.
“Other than that,” he said, “there’s an inheritance tax, which I can calculate for you once you’ve compiled a list of all the assets. In Italy we use a fiscal value for property, which is a number assigned by the government, not what a home would sell for. So you don’t need any appraisals, though you might want to get one if you’re planning to sell the property.”
“All right.”
“I think that’s all for now. Oh, I almost forgot…” He opened the folder and took out a second envelope. Anna was written across the front. “Your grandmother would like you to take this to her sister.”
“Oh. Okay. Did she leave an address? I haven’t been to her sister’s house since I was a little girl.”
“I’m sorry, she didn’t. But I’m sure you can ask around. Montepulciano is a small town, and most people know more than they should about the locals.”
“That does sound right. I’ll figure it out.”
Antonio stood. “If you need any help, I’m only a phone call away.” He winked. “Eliza finally let me get one of those when her tin can and string broke.”
“Thank you for everything.”
“My pleasure.”
Outside, I sat in the car, looking down at the envelope with a second letter from my nonna, and debated whether I should open it now or when I got home. I wasn’t that great at driving on the winding roads here, so just in case the letter made me upset, I should probably wait. Then again, my grandmother was a hoot, so it was more likely that any tears would be from laughter, not sadness. Talking about my grandmother’s estate had left a heavy feeling in my heart, so I decided I could use a good chat with my nonna and opened the letter.
My Dearest Allegra,
Atta girl! I knew you’d come.
Soon you’ll be the proud owner of Casa di Nonna. Inheriting the place I’ve lived for eighty-odd years is a blessing, but it also comes with responsibility. And by that, I mean some secrets you need to bury for me.
Number 1: The attic
At the bottom of the stacked boxes of Christmas decorations, you’ll find one labeled Tax Records—1977–1982. Open it and dig under the old tax returns. You’ll find a letter addressed to Massimo. Put a stamp on it and drop it in the mail, please. I didn’t want to leave that one for Antonio in case he snooped. It’s too racy.; )
Number 2: The cat
If she hasn’t already, a woman named Carlina might come around asking if anyone has found a cat since my passing, a sacro di Birmania breed. You’ve never seen a blue-eyed cat, and your loving grandmother would never steal. But please drop off a few years’ worth of Purina One Tender Selects Real Chicken at my cousin Rocky’s.
Number 3: The Vespa
There’s a sexy purple Vespa under a tarp in the garage. Ask Matteo next door to give you a lesson if you’ve never driven one before. Then start that baby up and ride around town wearing my oversized Gucci sunglasses and yell Ciao! at all the strangers. There’s nothing better.
Number 4: The tea set
In the storage closet nearest the powder room in the antique shop, there’s a tea set I’ve been collecting for a couple of years. The pieces are numbered, and at this writing, I have five left to go. You’ll figure out why I got so invested in the damn thing when you look at it. It even made an old bat like me swoon. Good luck with the search!