When Huge Fortune Calls

f the double shifts I pulled at Marconi' s Auto Repair, my dad always said

, every bead of sw

Jes

st a life better than the one we

maybe a picket fence, and I' d see it clear as

" she'd say, her eyes shin

e, gig deliveries after my shifts, the

traight to her, t

ck envelope, "Another five

too quick, a little too bright

in front of me anymor

said, fiddling with a l

Kyle, her younger brother,

eally taking off, he just needs

p the doubt off my face

sie meant at least tolerating

came from my mom, her v

ere was an accident at the p

ed, my dad, my

om? How much

least ten thousand, upfr

hat, not after I' d been pourin

okay, I' l

shaking, and immed

cem

ed a

cem

mergency, call me NOW.

th

y throat, I needed that ho

apartment, ligh

could

, my co-work

I' m in dee

d, my voic

is voice steady, "How much you ne

de ends meet himse

so immense I

essed a wad of cash into my hand, refusing any talk o

e, her hair damp, wearing a n

s wrong? You

t, needed emergency surgery, I' ve

cern, "Oh my god, Ethan, I

ow, no thanks t

n?" she asked, h

surgery, Jessie, our house f

unreadable crossed her

, suddenly l

make-or-break moment for his company, he promis

r, the words n

s over fifteen thousand dollars, that was

stion and fear and now this, t

, fat tears that always undid me, "But he was so desperate

about him? What if

and still in that hospit

in her hands, "He' ll pay it back, I' ll make

ce streaked with tear

n' t be mad, I did

er drained out of me, repla

fa

sn't I? Or was I just th

cry, so distr

ing her into a hug, "Okay, jus

I swear, thank you, Ethan

ng. Yeah, t