AlphaQueen

Sealing the deal

Abby did not need to think. Five Hundred Thousand dollars did not land on people's doorsteps every day. The anonymous sender, whoever it is, will not take back this one even if she does not say the words that will sign off the proposal permanently.

“How would he or she even know if I said it or not,” Abby says to herself aloud with a chuckle.

No. This particular money was enough to clear out all her debt, and help her settle just fine with her only family. She would not commit to an unknown fate by speaking whatever words those were.

So miracles did exist. She screamed in her mind.

But do you know one thing about having money? You just end up wanting more money.

And that's why exactly three weeks later, there she was, seated in the doctor's office, listening to him talk about how she needed to make a deposit of at least half a million dollars before any treatment would be done on her mother. Her mother, Sarah Juhel, had almost died yesterday and now needed an increased dose of whatever medicine she was being given, plus new ones.

Not to mention, just three days ago, Abby had received a call from Josh's principal. Some students in Josh's class had blown up the Head Teacher's office and the school laboratory, and now the school required every student in that class to make an equal payment for renovation plans and the complete cost of rebuilding and refurnishing both places. Abby was already running crazy mentally about how she was supposed to come up with Josh's part of the fine.

You might be wondering what happened to what was left of the first money she received? Taking care of Josh's bills and his mother's medical expenses had swallowed up everything. Slowly, Abby realizes she is back at square one, the exact financial state she was in three weeks ago. No, this time, it was worse. She was in much bigger debt.

Her Point Of View:

As I walked out of the hospital towards the bus stop, I had only one thing on my mind: to find that letter from Astropos, wherever I had kept it. Thanks to the stars, I had not thrown it away or burned it as I had intended to do that day. I still have a few days until it is a new month. I hope I was not already too late.

Sell my soul to the gods, die or whatever, I will do anything right now to have all my debts cleared up again, and have enough money to live on. Eating three square meals these past weeks has made me realize I never want to be so poor. I lack what to eat ever again.

Two buses later and a quick run, I was finally at home. I unlocked the door and began searching from the sitting room. That letter was my saving grace right now, and I just hope I was not too late.

What was the point of my existence when I had to live like a rat? No. I have a choice about how poor my life has become, but I will have a choice about how I live my life from now on. Having that much money means I do not even have to work again until when Astropos comes for me. This means I can pay all of my mother's hospital bills forever. It means Josh will not have to worry about never attending college or any university of his choice, ever.

This means I could also get to wear nice clothes too, like other girls in medical school. What did I not think of this before now? Why didn't I think of all these benefits in it for me? This means I didn't even have to work again a single day in my life, but I could live healthy, eat healthy, and even sleep healthy too.

Throwing anything and everything out of my way, I keep searching. I was now in my room, still searching for the damn letter. I was almost done searching but still found nothing. Tears begin to fill my eyes and roll down my face, and I find myself crying while still searching. Soon, I was done searching my room but still found nothing. Still crying, I sank to the floor and leaned on the door.

It was gone!

The letter was gone!

I drive my hand through my hair in frustration. I was doomed! What will I do now? I do not even remember what the words had been. I had purposely skipped the words that day. I cried even more, lying down on the floor with my face on the ground as I cried. It all ended here! Is this how Josh was going to be expelled from school, and Mum was going to die because I could not provide the money for their needs?

The thought of this brings more tears to my eyes, and I squeeze them shut, crying even more. When I finally opened my eyes again, that was when I saw the white paper under the bed. Sniffing, I move closer, put my hand under the bed and pick up the paper. The letter!

I sniff even more, wiping tears away from my eyes with my left hand, I begin to unfold the paper. It was a letter! The one from Astropos! Excitedly, I began to look for the word, and finally I found it.

“et nos unum sumus.” I read out, not even wanting or desiring to know what it means. “et nos unum sumus. et nos unum sumus.” I quickly repeated two more times.

There, I have said it. I do not know what I was expecting, but nothing happened. No earth-shattering sounds, no earthquake, nothing! Nothing happened to signify anything. Nothing except a mild wind that just whooshes past me, lifting my hair as it passes, and that was all. The wind, I suspect, might even be due to my open bedroom window.

I sigh and settle down on my bed.

“Now what, Abby?” I asked myself.

Nothing. Nothing but wait till the new month and see if this really worked, or if it had failed because I had not said it that day. Slowly, I get off bed and begin to arrange the rooms I have successfully scattered.

I will wait. I will wait and see what happens.

*

I was a few feet away from my house when I saw the envelope. Running, I quickly headed for my house. Truly, there was an envelope on my doorstep, just like the first time.

The new month had begun two days ago, and after waiting the whole day on the first and second without getting or receiving any money, I had begun to give up hope of it ever happening again. I believed it had failed because I had not said it that very first day.

But it was finally here!

I opened the envelope and took a peek inside it. Bundles and bundles of money. Looking around to be sure no one was watching, I quickly opened my door and rushed in, locking the door again. I pour the contents of the entire envelope on the table. Five bundles of money, each bundle containing a hundred thousand dollars. But that was all.

No letter. No message. Nothing!

The only words were my name printed on the envelope: Abby Juhel.