“I give and bequeath to my only child, Mary Elizabeth Rensselaer, all my properties, real and personal, including our 304-year old family heirloom - the Rensselaer ring.”
40 years ago, everything my Ma owned was left to my care. My father was deeply enraged because of this. I can still remember how he screamed at the top of his lungs, doubting my mother’s will and intentions.
“First she didn’t want to give up that stupid Rensselaer family name, not even had the thought to hyphenate MY family name into hers, and now she didn’t even give me a cent?! FUCKING EUROPEAN CUNT!” After his frantic gesture, he just vanished. Not into thin air but he left the house - probably with his fragile masculinity and ego.
Now I have reached the age where I should be writing my own will, just in case I need it. I wasn’t necessarily dying, but I am tired of my life. Been experiencing the same old same old for a long period of time already, and I wanna be someone else. I want to start anew, to have a fresh identity, where I can be who I’ve never been. Who knows? If I take my life now, I might be reincarnated as a fresh young lady who is bound to be the next winner of Miss Universe - or not.
I didn’t have the chance to start a family of my own because I’ve always been busy. They may say I am a career-oriented woman, but I just didn’t have the urge to go out and socialize with all these men who couldn’t care less about their reputation. Or maybe I am just busy reaching my mother’s dream - to be a well-known lawyer. My grandmother urged Ma to be a neurosurgeon, despite her not wanting that career, and yet she pushed me to pursue Law. I never wanted to be a lawyer per se, but I had the urge to fulfill my mother’s dreams for her. It’s the least I can do for her, really. I hope I am healing her inner child’s dream.
Before Ma succumbed to her death bed after poisoning herself, she specifically told me to adopt a European toddler. “It must be a girl”, she emphasized. I believe she’s scared of leaving me alone, so she sees to it that I’ll have a child to take good care of me when I get old.
I did raise the child, and named her Mary Faye Rensselaer. She’s in her 20s now, her beauty’s absolutely breathtaking, and soft-spoken too. I’ve never heard her raising her voice, not even when she’s terrified. Quick-witted and outspoken - that’s what her instructors are using to describe her. She wants to be a programmer, and I have no problem with that. “Just win a Miss Universe crown for me, dear!” That’s what I’d always joke about.
Faye knows she’s adopted, and how our family - Rensselaer, and its distinguished heirloom has been the talk of the town for so long. The Rensselaer ring is nothing special - just an antique ring from the 1670s, forged by its first owner, Mary Rensselaer. Everyone knows she’s a baker, but unbeknownst to them, she is an alchemist. The thought of having to live forever made her all giddy, so she became obsessed with the thought of creating the so-called Elixir of Life, but her hunt to create this took her life. She died in 1678, the same year the ring was forged.
The ring was then inherited by Mary Antoinette Rensselaer. She was only 8 when her mother died. She then taught English grammar, focusing on reading and writing for the children of the poor. She died in 1757, at the tender age of 87.
My great grandmother, Mary Beaullah Rensselaer, was the third owner of the Rensselaer ring. Fifteen when she wept her mother’s death. She became a physician in the urban area. Her life was long-lived, she reached the age of 99 before death took her in 1841.
Mary Catelyn Rensselaer, my grandmother, became the fourth owner. She was a toddler when she inherited the heirloom. She became the head of the Rensselaer factory, which produces high quality textiles. She likes to downgrade her status by calling herself a “seamstress”. She died in our ancestral home, in the year 1928.
My mother, Mary Diana Rensselaer, became a neurosurgeon. In fact, she was one of the well-known neurosurgeons during her time. She became the fifth owner of the ring when she inherited it from grandma Catelyn. Sadly, she took her own life, in the year 2006, while I cried beside her deathbed.
I took the ring for myself, and I became the 6th Rensselaer who took care of it. As you all know, I took Law for my Ma, because she never had the chance to take it for herself. That’s the reason why she took her life - and so I felt obliged to reach her dream career for her. Now, it’s up to me to decide who should be the 7th Rensselaer- who shall wear the family heirloom we’ve been safekeeping. Since I’ve accomplished my Ma’s death wish, I find no bearing to my life anymore. That is why I’ve been writing my last will and testament, since the thought of unaliving myself was recurring in my head.
“I give and bequeath to my only child, Mary Faye Rensselaer, all my properties, real and personal, including our 344-year old family heirloom - the Rensselaer ring.”
There. I finished and signed it the same day. I let Faye know that everything in my possession will be hers upon my passing, and she should be beside my deathbed so I can personally give her our family heirloom.
“Why should we do this again, Ma?” Faye asked as we entered the room.
“This is how I received the Rensselaer ring 40 years ago. My Ma gave it to me before she died, and I wore it on my finger right after. I’ve never removed it since then.”
“Can I ever remove it?” Faye asked in a curious tone.“
“As long as you live, you shall never remove it. All of Rensselaer’s memories are embedded with this. You may remove this but you have to make someone wear it - until they die. That’s the Rensselaer’s gift you have to bear.”
“Ma! This isn’t scaring me, I’m not your 7-year old kid anymore.”
I chuckled as I covered her mouth with a white napkin, her precious body started losing consciousness. I smiled uncontrollably as I thought: This is it. This is the body I’ve always wanted. It’s a shame Faye never knew what the Rensselaer’s heirloom meant. Or as to why everyone who inherited the ring must be named Mary. As I slid the Rensselaer ring on her finger, I can imagine the applause I’ll be receiving. Mary Rensselaer, the alchemist - which is I, was successful in creating the Elixir of Life. I have imparted my consciousness into the Rensselaer ring. In this case, you don’t inherit our heirloom, but the heirloom inherits you. I became a teacher, a physician, a seamstress, a neurosurgeon, and a lawyer these past few years. This time, as Mary Faye Rensselaer, I’ll be crowned Miss Universe.
END