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Money can’t buy happiness.

Growing up on the West side of Eldrick View, I was always told to be grateful for what I have. I mean at least we weren’t living on the streets. This guy Jacob and his whole family got kicked out last week and are God knows where trying to survive. Money can solve so many issues. How could it not solve happiness?

If I had money, I would get my family out of here. My brother, Caiden, wouldn’t have to be working all the time and my mother hasn’t been the same ever since Dad left. It’s like she’s physically here but mentally she isn’t. My dad left as soon as he had the chance. All I have to remember him is my memories. My mother got rid of everything and anything that had to do with him.

She would always remind me, “Maya men are trouble. They’re good for nothing- they only want you for one thing.” Now all she does is stay in bed; my brother has no choice but to provide for our family. He comes home with all sorts of bruises and stains at all sorts of hours. She doesn’t even care. Caiden comes home with the money, takes care of the bills, sleeps, gets groceries and leaves again. He’ll come in and check in from time to time, but honestly it feels like I live alone. Caiden made it a point to tell me, “I might not be home all the time, but I got your back no matter what. I am just a call away. Don’t let anyone mess with you. Just focus on finishing school. Everything is going to be okay.” He isn’t always around, but I know I can count on him to be there for me.

The phone was ringing; I was going to answer it when my mother surprisingly answered it herself. I could hear her angrily whispering on the phone, that’s interesting. As I had my ear up to the thin wall between us, I could hear her crying. I decided to pick up the other phone and listen. There was a man on the phone, all I heard was, “Lorenzo Brown has died, he has left some things in his will to be picked up. Please come by, does Thursday work for you?” I could not believe what I heard; my father… dead?!

He was 43 years young; I am 18, he left when I was 6. I always thought he would come back, and somehow everything would go back to normal. I felt so stupid whenever I had these thoughts. It’s been 12 years since he left us, why would he come back? I started to feel tears forming in my eyes, but I can’t cry. My mother can’t know I know.

“Maya!” My mother was yelling for me,

“I called for you over five times, are you deaf?”

“Sorry Mama, I’m just tired.”

“A man just called, you have to go to this address, okay.”

She pushed a piece of paper towards me.

“Okay Mom… is everything okay?”

“Yes everything is fine.” She started walking back to her room and right before she entered, she paused and said, “By the way, your father is dead.”

That was how it normally went, no discussion. I just have to endure and keep going.

I called Caiden.

“What”

“Hi to you too, are you busy? I think it would better to say this in person”

“Is everybody okay? Are you hurt?”

“Yeah, mom and I are fine. Is there any way you can come home; I need to talk to you.”

There was a pause.

“Yeah, I’ll be home in 15.”

Once my brother came home, he looked concerned and on edge.

“What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

“Caiden relax, everything is fine. Mom got a call and Dad’s dead. I’m sorry.”

He exhaled deeply “That’s what you called me for? Our father, the one that left us died!”

“I-I’m sorry. I- I-”

“Yeah, you should be. Why should I care? Maya look, it’s only been us three for TWELVE years. He. Left. Us.”

I could see the tears forming in his eyes as he stormed off.

How could we all be feeling this pain, but still be so alone.

My mother barged into my room, “Maya get up, don’t forget that you have to go to the lawyers office today. Take your brother with you.”

I rolled out of bed and I went to knock on Caiden’s door.

“Caiden! Get up! I need you to come with me!!”

He groaned awake, “Where are we going?”

“I’m not really sure. But hurry up! I want to get this done, I have plans with my friends later!!”

We hopped into our beaten-up car and headed to the lawyer’s office across town. Once we arrived, a slender man approached us in the foyer. He asked if we were Lorenzo’s kids and welcomed us into his office.

“I am Mateo Jameson; I was your father’s lawyer. I am sorry for your loss. He has left some things behind for you guys.”

He went to his safe and brought out a black book and a key.

Caiden started to get irritated.

“Thank you for this, have a great day!”

And just like that we left.

As we got into the car, I noticed Caiden tightly gripping the steering wheel.

“Caiden what’s wrong?”

“Maya, we drove across town for a book and a key. That’s what he left us.”

“Yeah, but there could be something! We don’t know what it’s about.”

I eagerly flipped through the pages within the black leather bound journal,

“Caiden! Look he wrote something for me!”

I started reading the entry aloud.

“Maya

My dear beautiful daughter, I am so sorry that I wasn’t around. You deserved a better life than the one I have left you with. If you are reading this it means that I have passed before I could make things right. I want you and your brother to live a happier life. With the key go to the bank on Gonfret St. I have a safety deposit box. I hope it’s contents will be helpful for you guys. Be careful. I thought about you guys every day. My love for you and Caiden is eternal.

I love you,

Your Father, Lorenzo”

I felt tears forming in my eyes. I continued to flip through the pages to see if Caiden had a message as well but there wasn’t one.

“I can’t believe he didn’t write anything!”

“It’s okay Maya – I don’t expect anything anyways.”

“Can we go to the bank please?”

“What about your friends?”

“It’s okay they can wait.”

We arrived at the bank and we got the safety deposit box. Within the box was another journal, a gun, and cash. So. Much. Cash. Twenty thousand dollars to be exact!

I whispered to Caiden “How are we going to get out of here with all this cash?!”

He was in shock. “Caiden!”

He exhaled and started thinking, “okay how much can we put in your wallet? Did you bring a purse? We can’t let anyone know. Not even mom.”

“What? Why?”

“Do you know where we live?! This kind of money makes us a target! C’mon maya think!

“Okay! I’m sorry!” I felt my tears coming back, I held them in and stuffed the money in my purse.

As we were leaving the bank, I noticed someone waiting by our car.

“Caiden?”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“What do we do?”

“Walk past the car, maybe they don’t know who we are.”

As we got closer to the car, a raspy male voice called out, “Caiden, Maya – it’s been so long! Give your uncle a hug. Let’s go home”

Uncle? We have an uncle? Why now? Why are they here now?

Did they know about the money?

Caiden stood there for a second, took a good look at him then hugged him. I have no idea who this man is, how does Caiden even know him?

“Uncle Carlos! It’s so good to see you! What took so long?”

We all got into the car and headed home. I was so confused.

Who is this man? Why is Caiden so calm? How mother is going to react?

We arrived home and I took my purse upstairs to my room, found a hiding spot and locked my door. As I was coming downstairs, I noticed my mother was… happy? I did not understand what was happening.

“Caiden can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Maya why so private? We’re all family.” My mother said. This was getting more confusing by the second.

“I just need his help with homework. Please Caiden.”

I dragged him into my room; I needed an explanation, and I was going to get one!

“Caiden, you don’t see anything fishy about this? This man, OUR “uncle” who we haven’t seen in YEARS shows up the same day we get money and his brother, our father is dead. It doesn’t make sense.”

“I know, I know. But you know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

I felt so relieved, at least it’s not just me.

“Oh thank goodness, okay what’s the plan?”

“Alright let’s look at all the items again.”

I gave him the gun, I sure as hell wasn’t going to use it.

While he was counting the money and I was looking through the journal.

“Caiden! He left you a message!”

Caiden eagerly grabbed the journal and began to read it out loud

“Caiden

My son, I left you too soon. I made you take on responsibilities a kid has no business doing. I am sorry for everything that I have done. I know it is too late for me to fix my mistakes, but I hope that you will continue to take care of this family. Do not trust anyone outside this family. Understand.

People know about this money and they have been waiting for someone to collect it. Be careful. There is so much I have to say, but I hope you can forgive me. I hope that you will forgive the things I have done to you, your mother and your sister. My biggest regret is getting so mixed up with these people that I put my family in danger. I left to protect you guys, but now I see there may have been a better way. Just know that everything I have done was to protect and help this family. I know you didn’t see me, but I saw you. I know who you work for and I just want to say be careful. Get out before you’re in too deep. Don’t be like me son, you can do so much better, I know it.

I love you and be careful, blood isn’t always thicker than water.

Your Father, Lorenzo”

“We have to get out of here. Now!”

“Where will we go?!”

“Far away from here, where they’ll never find us.” He started frantically pulling my things out of my dressers.

“What about mom?”

“Yeah, we’ll take her too. But first we have to deal with UCarlos downstairs.”

We headed back downstairs but they were nowhere to be found. We looked in the living room, dining room, kitchen, basement; nothing. No trace of them.

Then finally near the front door, there was a note from Carlos, “I know about the money. If you want to see your mother again, you’ll meet me at 6 pm. I’ll call you with a location.”

Caiden was so frustrated he punched a hole into the wall.

“It’s 4 o’clock, what are we gonna do?! Are we going to give him the money?!”

“Hell no! He doesn’t get to win so easily. I have a plan.”

I groaned. This was not how I expected today to go. I wish things could go back to normal.

I guess it is true, money can’t buy happiness.