Chapter 12

      Sam stood up and began her walk to the shelter. The walk this time was leisurely and filled with the sweetness of total security.

      Sam arrived at the shelter wanting things to happen quickly. In the past she had to wait for red tape, or things to fall into place just right, but now she had money, she could get action quickly.

      Sam walked into the shelter with an air of confidence and searched for Brad. She found him over in the corner talking to some homeless that had just gotten in from out of town. “Hey, Brad, I need to talk to you for a second.”

      Brad looked up somewhat surprised and walked over to her immediately, “Sam, you alright? I’ve had people looking all over for you since you ran out of the shelter.”

      She smiled, “Brad I’m fine. As a matter fact I’m more than fine. I’m superfine.”

      Brad hesitated a second, “You been drinking Sam?”

      “Nope. I reached a point today where I stopped drinking. Do you want to know why I’m not drinking?”

      Brad looked puzzled, “Sure Sam, why aren’t you drinking.”

      “Brad, I came into some money, and I need help from you to get it.”

      “What money you come into Sam?”

      “I come into lotto money, and I need your help to get it.”

      Brad stood there for a second trying to comprehend what she had just said combined with everything else that was going on around him at the shelter. “wha, what are you talking bout Sam?”

      Sam grabbed Brad by the shoulders and made good eye contact with him, “Brad, I won a seventy seven million dollar lotto, and I need you to help me get it into the bank. I want to help these kids at the shelter have a good Christmas. Can you work with me on this?”

      Brad looked at her with trust, “Sure Sam, sure, what do you need?”

      “Okay, I need to use the phone. I need a ride to Austin to actually get the money. Then we’re going to show these kids a Christmas like they’ve never seen before.”

      “Sam, are you sure you got the winning ticket?”

      “Brad, I promise. I’ve checked this ticket over and over again. I also checked and there was one winner, in Fort Worth Texas! Let me use your phone and I’ll call Austin and confirm it right now.”

      Brad looked at her in amazement, still not quite believing what he was being told, “Okay Sam, you got it.”

      Sam called Austin and confirmed the winning ticket. It’s now official, she’s a multi-millionaire. She called her bank to warn them of the coming windfall that was about to hit her meager savings account. The next day Brad drove her down to Austin to claim the prize. After a brief ceremony and several interviews Sam was ready to get her money. Several news stations were going crazy about her winning the big lotto. The media loved the whole homeless angle, literally rags to riches. The state lottery commission finally got around to wiring the deposit to Sam’s bank for forty one million seven hundred sixty three thousand two hundred twelve dollars and some odd cents, the after tax total. Sam decided they were going to stay at the Hyatt for the night. The hotel was rated one of the best in Austin and she wanted to test her spending power with the debit card she had gotten from the bank. Sam and Brad had a great meal at the expensive Hyatt restaurant and then rented a Hummer to cruise around town. It felt great to be cleaned up and normal again. It had been almost thirty six hours since her last drink and she wasn’t even thinking about alcohol. She was still riding on an adrenalin high.

      They cruised down around the University of Texas and then into the downtown area passing by the state capital. Austin was Sam’s old stomping grounds when she was a kid. She showed Brad the house she had been raised in on the south side of Austin. Sam was amazed at the way she felt now versus just twenty four hours ago.

      “Well Brad, I figure we’ll stay here tonight and then head back tomorrow to start getting ready for the kids Christmas.”

      Brad was slowly nodding his head yes, “That sounds good Sam. It’s great you’re still thinking about the kids. Most people would’ve left the mission with the money, and we would’ve never seen them again. I’m real proud of you.”

      “Listen Brad, I can’t wait to spend this money and get some nice new things for myself, but I want those kids at the shelter to have a nice Christmas for a change. Heck, I’d like for all the kids to have a nice Christmas. I guess that’s not physically possible, so I’ll help the ones I know at the shelter. They really need a break.”

      Brad smiled, “Maybe someday you’ll be able to help all the kids, who knows.”

      The next day Sam and Brad drove back to Fort Worth. As soon as she hit the shelter, she began planning the big day at the mall for the kids.

      Sam found Brad in a front office, “Okay Brad, how does this sound, we load the kids up on a bus, take them to the mall and let them buy whatever they want. Sound good?”

      “I don’t know Sam. I thought you were going to let them think Santa was bringing the presents.”

      “You’re right. I’ll dig out the old Santa suit and talk to them again. I’ll ask them what they want, keep a list, and then send some people to the mall to get all the goodies.”

      Brad smiled, “Now you’re talkin.”