Chapter 17: A Lucky Break

The smell of toasted bread filled the air as Josh stood by the counter, waiting for his breakfast to pop up from the toaster. His brothers had already left for school, the house quiet except for the faint tick of the wall clock and the soft strains of a morning radio show playing in the background.

Josh grabbed the toast, spreading a thin layer of butter across it before taking a bite. He stared out the window, watching a few neighborhood kids on their bikes, and let the simple calmness of the morning settle over him.

Just another day, he thought as he finished the toast, rinsing his plate before heading out the door to school.

School was uneventful. The day passed in a blur of lessons, classwork, and the occasional joke shared with his classmates. Mrs. Thompson gave him a small nod of approval during math class when he raised his hand to answer a particularly tricky problem, but other than that, nothing stood out.

By the time the final bell rang, Josh was ready to head home. He walked the familiar path back, his mind wandering to thoughts of dinner and the week ahead.

When Josh stepped through the front door, the house smelled incredible—something savory and rich wafting from the kitchen. He kicked off his shoes, setting his backpack by the stairs, and made his way toward the source of the delicious aroma.

To his surprise, his mom was at the stove, humming along to the radio as she stirred a pot on the burner. She looked relaxed, happier than he’d seen her in weeks, maybe months.

“Mom?” Josh said, his voice breaking through the hum of the music.

She spun around, startled, and her face lit up when she saw him. “Josh!” she cried, abandoning the stove to rush over. She wrapped him in a big hug, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Josh blinked, caught off guard by her enthusiasm. “Uh, what’s going on? Why are you home?”

His mother pulled back, her hands still on his shoulders, her eyes shining with excitement. “We won!”

Josh furrowed his brow, doing his best to look genuinely confused. “Won what?”

“The lottery!” she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her feet.

Josh tilted his head, still feigning ignorance. “Wait, seriously? That ticket I found?”

“Yes!” she laughed, taking his hands and giving them a squeeze. “I got up this afternoon and thought, ‘What the heck, I’ll go see if it’s worth anything.’ I took it to the mini mart, and Mrs. Chang scanned it. When it showed a winner, I almost fainted! It said I had to go to the lottery office because of the amount.”

Josh’s stomach twisted with a mix of pride and nerves as he nodded along, keeping his expression neutral. “So, how much was it?”

Her grin widened. “$50,000! Can you believe it? Fifty. Thousand. Dollars!”

Josh gave an exaggerated gasp. “No way! What did you do?!”

“I went straight to the lottery office,” she said, leading him to the kitchen table, where a few envelopes and papers were spread out. “They printed me a check, and I went to the bank to deposit it. After that, I called into work—there’s no way I was going in tonight. Then I went to the grocery store, paid off all our past-due bills, and did a massive grocery run. Look at this!”

She pointed to the bags stacked neatly in the corner, filled with fresh produce, canned goods, and other staples.

Josh stared at the bounty, his throat tightening as he realized just how much this small windfall meant to her. To the whole family.

She turned back to him, her eyes brimming with gratitude. “Josh, I can’t thank you enough for finding that ticket. You have no idea how much this means to me—to all of us.”

Josh shrugged, trying to play it cool even as his chest swelled with pride. “I’m just glad it helped. You’ve been working so hard, Mom. You deserve this.”

Her expression softened, and she pulled him into another hug. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. And so grateful.”

As she turned back to the stove to check on dinner, Josh took a seat at the table, letting the moment sink in. This was exactly what he’d hoped for—watching the weight lift off his mom’s shoulders, even if just for a little while.

And they were just getting started.

As his mom stirred the pot on the stove, Josh pulled up a chair at the kitchen table, watching her movements with quiet admiration. She seemed lighter, freer—almost like the version of her he remembered from his earliest childhood memories, before life’s burdens began to weigh her down.

“This money...” she began, her voice tinged with both disbelief and relief, “Josh, you have no idea how much this will help us. It’s like ... it’s like I can finally breathe again.”

Josh smiled faintly, resting his chin on his hand. “It’s good to see you like this, Mom. You’ve been carrying so much for so long.”

She paused, looking over at him with a warmth that made his chest tighten. “I was starting to wonder how I’d manage, you know? All those late nights, trying to figure out which bill I could put off or how to stretch the groceries. But now...”

Her words trailed off as she reached for the phone on the counter. She dialed a number quickly, the smile never leaving her face. Josh listened as she spoke to their landlord, her tone firm yet cheerful.

“Yes, Mr. Grayson, it’s Dorothy,” she said. “I wanted to let you know I can pay the back rent today. If you want to swing by this evening, I’ll have a check ready for you.”

There was a pause as she listened to his response, nodding even though he couldn’t see her. “Thank you. Yes, I’ll see you then.” She hung up, her shoulders relaxing visibly as she turned back to the stove.

Josh watched her silently, a mix of emotions swirling within him. He was happy to see her smiling, relieved to know the immediate financial pressure was easing, but also pained by the memories that surfaced.

She deserves this, Josh thought as he leaned back in his chair. After everything she’s been through, she deserves this break.

His thoughts wandered to his first life, to the nights he’d overheard her crying in her room as she struggled with bills and the fallout of his parents’ divorce. His father, Garry, hadn’t been around much after the split. Josh hadn’t understood it at the time, but as he grew older, the truth became clear: Garry had cheated, not once but twice, shattering the trust between them.

Josh’s mom had forgiven the first betrayal, determined to keep the family together for the kids. But when it happened again, she’d had no choice but to leave him. Josh remembered the tension in the house during those final months of their marriage—sharp words whispered behind closed doors, the cold silences that lingered after arguments.

Her struggles with men didn’t start or end with Garry, though. Joel’s father, her first love, had abandoned her as soon as she told him she was pregnant. He’d vanished, leaving her to raise a baby on her own.

William’s father was even more of a mystery. She rarely spoke of him, and it wasn’t until William turned eighteen that she admitted he was the result of a brief, complicated relationship.

And then there was Garry, her childhood friend turned husband. He had been there when she needed stability most, stepping in during her pregnancy with William and giving her a sense of hope. They’d gotten married, and Garry had even put his name on William’s birth certificate despite not being his biological father. For a time, things seemed perfect—they had Joel, William, and Josh, and their family felt whole.

But Garry’s infidelity destroyed everything. Josh could still remember the day his mother packed their things and moved them to a small rental, her face set in quiet determination.

Returning to the Present “Josh?”

His mother’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was looking at him curiously, a soft smile on her face.

“You’ve been awfully quiet,” she said, turning the heat down on the stove. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, Mom,” Josh said, shaking off the memories. “Just thinking about how good things are right now.”

Her expression softened as she came over and rested a hand on his shoulder. “It’s been tough, hasn’t it? But we’re going to be okay now. This money—it’s not everything, but it’s a start.”

Josh nodded, his throat tight with unspoken emotions. “You’ve done so much for us, Mom. You never gave up.”

She squeezed his shoulder gently. “And I never will.”

As she turned back to the stove, Josh smiled faintly, the warmth of the moment pushing away the lingering shadows of his past. He didn’t need to say anything else. Just watching her hum along to the radio, her movements relaxed and confident, was enough.

As Josh sat at the kitchen table, watching his mom move between the stove and the counter, he mulled over a thought that had been nagging at him since she mentioned the lottery win.

“Mom,” he began cautiously, his tone drawing her attention, “are you going to tell Joel and William about the money?”

She paused, turning to face him with a thoughtful expression. “I’ve been thinking about it,” she admitted, leaning against the counter. “They’re old enough to understand, but ... I don’t know. What do you think?”

Josh tapped his fingers on the table, choosing his words carefully. “I think it might be better if you don’t tell them how much you won.”

Her brows furrowed slightly in surprise. “Why’s that, sweetheart?”

Josh leaned forward, his voice calm and measured. “Because if they know, it might change the way they act—or the way they treat people. They might start thinking we have more money than we really do and stop appreciating the little things. Even worse, it could make them feel like they don’t have to work hard anymore, like everything will just come easy from now on.”

His mom’s eyes widened slightly, and she crossed her arms, studying him intently. “That’s ... a very grown-up way of looking at it, Josh. I’m surprised you thought of that.”

Josh shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the weight of his words. “It’s just that I’ve seen how money can change people. It’s not always a bad thing, but sudden wealth can mess with priorities. Joel and William are good guys, but they’re still kids, you know? It’s better if they don’t think this changes everything.”

His mother nodded slowly, her gaze thoughtful. “You’re probably right. It’s tempting to share the excitement with them, but ... I don’t want it to go to their heads. I’ve worked so hard to teach you boys the value of a dollar, and I’d hate for this to undo that.”

Josh gave her a reassuring smile. “Exactly. This money is a blessing, but it doesn’t mean we should change who we are or forget what it’s like to work for what we need.”

She moved to the table, sitting down across from him. “You’re really something, Josh,” she said softly, a hint of pride in her voice. “Most kids your age wouldn’t think about something like that, let alone say it out loud.”

Josh chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess I’m just trying to look out for us. You’ve done so much for this family, Mom. I don’t want anything to ruin that.”

Her eyes glistened with emotion, and she reached across the table to take his hand. “Thank you, Josh. For finding that ticket, for everything you’ve been doing ... and for being you. I’m so proud of you.”

Josh felt his throat tighten, but he managed to nod, squeezing her hand lightly. “Thanks, Mom. I just want us to be okay.”

“We will be,” she said firmly, her voice filled with quiet determination. “We’re going to make this work, together.”

She stood, brushing off her apron, and returned to the stove. Josh watched her with a faint smile, feeling a mix of pride and relief. For now, the money was just a tool—something to lighten the load. And with his mom at the helm, he was confident it would be used wisely.

Josh stood from the table as his mother stirred the pot on the stove, humming a soft tune. He stretched and gave her a small smile.

“I’m going to knock out some chores,” he said casually.

Dorothy glanced over her shoulder, eyebrows raised. “If you’re volunteering, I won’t say no. The laundry needs to be sorted, and the floors could use a good sweep.”

Josh grinned, saluting her playfully. “Anything for you, Mom.”

Her laughter followed him as he headed down the hallway to the laundry room, rolling up his sleeves. The weight of the laundry basket was familiar, the motions automatic as he sorted colors from whites. But his thoughts were anything but mundane.

Mom’s reaction to the lottery money ... Josh thought as he folded a shirt with practiced ease. He was relieved that she’d agreed not to tell his brothers how much they’d won, but there was still a knot of worry in his chest. Money had a way of changing people, even the strongest, most grounded families. Would this change things too much?

His mind drifted to Mr. Johnson and the trust they were planning to set up. It was a bold idea, but would it ripple outward in ways he couldn’t predict? Would his plans for careful investments and quiet financial security alter the very timeline he was trying to navigate?

And then there’s Katie, he thought, setting the freshly folded laundry aside and reaching for the broom in the corner of the room. As he swept the kitchen floor, the memory of her laughter—bright and genuine—played in his mind like a melody. Josh’s thoughts grew heavier as he moved through the house, sweeping each room in turn. He leaned the broom against the wall for a moment, pausing to look out the window at the quiet street beyond.