[ WP ] An estranged relative dies and bequeaths to you a houseboat .

`` To my brother, Marcus Dawson, I leave my entire estate and the Porsche, for years of apologies that I owed him,'' the executor read the will of my late Uncle aloud for everyone in the room to hear. Which was n't a lot of my people. Uncle Richard had n't talked to anybody in his immediate family for almost ten years and I had long since forgotten his face. When we found out he died, I knew my father was upset. They left each other on pretty terrible terms, but they did love each other. He was about the only who did love my Uncle anymore, their sister had disowned him, and even his children had left. My father, myself, and my mother were the only relatives who came to the funeral. 
 
 It was sad. 
 
 `` To my niece, Kristen Dawson, I leave my houseboat, located on the river near my estate. I hope this will help get you started in a world that is unforgiving and sometimes cruel.'' I sat there, a little confused as to why my Uncle, who I had n't seen since I was twelve, had left me his boat. `` I also leave to you $ 50,000, for which I ask you to save for a better day.'' 
 
 My dad squeezed my shoulder and I nodded. My uncle might have been lonely, but he never forgot the people who mattered in his life. `` That's it,'' the executor said, `` Leaving you the estate is basically everything he owned.'' 
 
 My father nodded, `` Thank you.'' 
 
 The executor exchanged some items with my father before we left, presumably the key and other items my Uncle left us. Once we did leave, we took a drive to the estate my uncle had left my father. It was rather large, secluded from the main city, but for the most part it was just filled with odds and ends. A few paintings, some artwork he had done, statues and works of art he had purchased through his travels. The property he owned was a couple acres and most of it had been left untouched by whatever landscapers were around. Even the house itself had vines and trees growing against it, using it's crumbling stone walls as leverage to get more sunlight. We spent a few hours there, taking a look at some of my Uncles work and examining the rooms. 
 
 The house creeped me out, every step was a creak in the floorboards and every few minutes the groan of the house would echo throughout the halls. I did n't know how my uncle could live in such a place, all alone and away from the rest of the world. And how he could afford such a place, I had no idea. I never knew what he did for a living, but I imagined it could n't have made him so much money. 
 
 It was a few hours before we decided to take a walk down to the river and check out the houseboat. The walk down was short and the pathway cut right through the unkempt forest that surrounded the estate. We stepped on a broken tree branch almost every step and as we got further away from the house, I felt more alone even with my parents with me. I had n't seen them in a while and I did n't imagine this as being our reunion. 
 
 When we finally did reach the river, the houseboat was sitting upon the water, sitting neatly against the small port my uncle had built. Unlike his estate, which was a mess, the houseboat was in fairly nice condition. It was an older houseboat, about fifty feet in length with a white finish and a flag pole at the top. And since it was mine, my father gave me the honor of taking the first step and opening the door. Unlike most in our city, this boat had a motor and could move around in the river. I did n't know too much about boats, but I knew my Uncle liked them, with the portraits and all. 
 
 I stepped onto the boat and it rocked a bit, but I kept going. I opened the door and took a few steps inside. I had never been in a houseboat before so I did n't expect much, but it was rather *nice. * The first area was a quaint little living area with a few loveseats and a couch. There was nothing extraordinary or out of place. It was just normal, unlike the house we were just in. 
 
 My father and mother started walking around and I went on my own. It was n't a big boat, so we could n't get too far from each other, but it rocked with almost every step. I took a quick look around before entering one of the farthest rooms. It was n't big, a few feet across and a few feet long, and there was a small desk inside the room. 
 
 Unlike the rest of the rooms, this one had a distinctness to it that I had't seen. The desk was newer and clean, it did n't have the dust or scratches that most of my Uncle's things had. And it even had a nice laptop on it. I stepped inside, where a little suitcase sat behind the door and a poster of the world sat on the wall. There was a box of pins next to the poster and only one had been placed. I looked closely, it was where we lived, the pin sitting exactly above the words **Seattle, WA. ** I smiled. 
 
 I turned back around and saw a small piece of paper on the desk. It was folded up and my name was written across the top. I stepped up to it and opened it. 
 
 > Dear Kristy, 
 > I see you got the boat. I'm glad you did, she has n't seen another soul in a long time. 
 You're probably wondering why I gave you a boat in the first place. I know it's not your cup of tea, but it's better than a crumbling building and some paintings, right? 
 
 I chuckled. 
 
 > I had a plan before I the falling out with your father. We both did. Wanted to travel, see the world, do anything that was n't our jobs. But life got in the way. When I had the falling out with your cousins, I knew there was no going back. 
 
 I sat down as I read the note. 
 
 > You ca n't do much with a houseboat, but I figured it might ignite the dream that I had, in you. To travel, to see the world. I already have the map up, and the suitcase has a nice Captain's hat in it that I never got to wear. Maybe you could break it in for me. 
 
 I smiled. 
 
 > Be good to this boat, she cared for me in my last few days. Do n't worry, I did n't die here. I wo n't be back haunting it. The house is another question. 
 
 I laughed. 
 
 > If anything, take the money and sell the boat. Pay off those student loans, invest the rest and see what you can do. Maybe you'll travel in different ways. Just do me one favor. When they do cremate me, take this boat out one last time. It's easy and I already put the money aside for a lesson. Take the boat on the waves and just let me go. 
 
 > Most people did n't know I liked the ocean so much, but it's nice; the soothing motion of the waves is good for the soul. I think it'd be a nice place to say goodbye. 
 
 I nodded and could feel a tear forming in my eye. 
 
 > Just do me that one favor Kristy, and I'll know that we said goodbye. 
 Forever grateful, 
 Richard Dawson. 
 
 I smiled, he was always a good man. `` Will do Uncle Richie,'' I nodded and set the note down, intent on telling my father, `` will do.'' 
 _____ 
 
 *I hope you enjoyed this story, thank you for the prompt! If you enjoyed, check out /r/BlankPagesEmptyMugs for more of my work! *
