Last week an elderly neighbour who had been ill for some considerable time , passed away.  I knew when his daughter stopped by to let me know.

I had always thought she was his daughter, but she advised me that she and her sister were step daughters. They were the ones closest to him who always called him ´Dad´ . They were the ones who visited bring ´grandchildren´ with them. He had divorced their Mother who now lives abroad.

No one in the locality knew that he had three sons ( all in their forties and fifties) by a previous marriage. He was out of touch with them.

As soon as they heard of his death they were ransacking his house looking for a Will.  No Will ?   That is fine for them. The three sons would get everything equally. There would be nothing at all for the Step daughters and their chidren who meant everything to him.