Rainbows and Dreams

She was just 18 years old and her baby boy was six months. The baby's father left them just three days ago, saying he wasn’t ready for a family.

Thus, she found herself in the welfare office asking for help. She didn’t have any parents. She had grown up in the foster care system.

She was afraid someone would take Hunter from her and he too would live life in the foster system. She didn’t want that for her son. She loved him too much.

Anomaly spent two hours in the office filling out paperwork. Handing the lady at the window her papers she asked, “What’s next? What do I do now?”

The woman replied, “You come back on the 10th of August at 11 AM. You will talk with a case worker and they will get you set up with help. If you qualify.”

Anomaly pushed the stroller out of the building and walked the three miles back to the apartment she could no longer afford. She had stayed home with Hunter while Braden worked. But Braden was not there to help anymore.

When she reached her door. She found an envelope taped to it. Taking it inside she feared it was an eviction notice. Her hands shook as she opened the envelope and looked at the contents.

There with her name, Anomaly Day, across it was a check for five million dollars. The check was from the law office of Derick, Barnard, and Howell.

“Mr. Barnard there is a miss Anomaly Day on the phone for you.” The receptionist said.

David Barnard was in his 50s and had been part of the law firm since it was founded twenty years ago. He picked up his phone expecting this call to be coming in.

“Miss Day, I am David Barnard, what can I do for you?” He asked.

“Sir I just returned home and found this check from your law office on my door. I don’t understand why.”

“Miss Day I was instructed by my client to turn that money over to you upon his death. He passed just last week and this is the first chance I had to complete the task.”

“So, this check is real? The five million is mine? What do I do with it?”

“Why, Miss Day, anything you want.”

“Thank you, Mr. Barnard two last questions. Who is your late client? And what does he have to do with me?”

“I’m sorry Miss Day but I’m not at liberty to say. I can’t give you that information.”

“Why not?”

“My client's wish. Good day, Miss Day.” With that he hung up the phone.

Looking over she noticed that hunter was still asleep in his stroller. She tucked the check into her pocket and pushed the stroller out the door again, this time heading for the bank.

The closest bank was only three blocks away. It only took her 10 minutes to walk there.

Hunter woke up instantly as she walked into the bank. He fussed so she checked his diaper while she waited in line for the next available teller. He was dry. So, she propped up a bottle for him which quieted him down instantly.

Finally, she reached the teller. “What can I do for you miss?” the teller asked.

“I wish to cash this check and open up an account.” She said to him.

“Follow me” replied the teller. He took her to an office that had a man sitting at the desk. His name plate said Frank Collins. “Mr. Collins this young woman wishes to cash a check and open an account with us.”

“Come in Miss. And have a seat. Now what kind of account do you want to set up? Let’s see the check.”

She sat and handed him the check. “I think I should open a checking and a savings.”

He looked at the check and began pulling out papers and pamphlets. Picking up his pen he said, “Yes that is where we will start. The check will take about five days to clear in your account. But I can advance you $250 cash today. How much do you want in each account?” He began typing on his computer to open her accounts.

“I want one million in my checking and the rest in my savings.” She picked up Hunter to burp him.

“Wonderful Miss Day. I just need your id and social security card.” She handed him her identification and signed the paperwork. “Here are your copies and some brochures of other services we offer here at first national credit union. Also here is your $250 cash. Your new debit card will be in the mail in five to ten days.”

“Thank you for your help Mr. Collins.” Putting Hunter back in his stroller she headed out of his office .

Back at her apartment she put Hunter into his swing and gave home his favorite teething toy and wound the swing, setting him in motion.

She had stopped at the grocery store on her way home to buy a special meal for that night. She planned steak and shrimp over pasta, a small lobster tail, with French bread and butter.

Growing up in the foster system she never had a meal like this, but she had always wanted one.

That evening she ate her meal slowly, savoring every bite, while she looked over the brochures the banker had given her.

And as she went through her nightly tasks of putting the baby to bed and getting ready for bed herself she thought about what she should do with the money and her life.

She looked around her little one bedroom apartment and thought a nice small two bedroom house would be nice for her and Hunter to live in.

Then, she thought, he was going to have a better life than she had. He would go to college. He needs a college fund. She would talk to Mr. Collins about that too.

She looked back on her own education growing up. She was a good student but she didn’t know anything about managing money. She had no one to teach her how.

I will go to college and learn about financial stability. She thought. I was always good with math. There is a school across town. It was a nice small town but there was still a local community college. I can put Hunter in daycare during class, she thought.

She also knew she needed a car and a driver’s license. There was a company that offers driver’s lessons next to the high school.

That night she fell asleep with big dreams in her head for her and hunters future.