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Chapter 23--The Ending Was The Beginning--COMPLETED
Back to: Chapter 22--Doing the Right Thing
Epilogue--

Ten years ago I was that girl who refused, finally, to keep my eyes shut to the reality around me. But what happened in those ten years that lead me to be begining of this story? Readers always want a happy ending and I wish I could tell you my life bloomed once I vowed to leave my mother, CASH, and the Samuels behind. It didn't. It was a struggle.

First off, where does a nearly penniless 18 year old go when she doesn't have a job or a home? The money CASH had given me paid for a taxi to the train station in Newton and a train ride back to Arris, the poor neighborhood and shelter where I volunteered in my last year of high school. Mrs. Hodges, the director welcomed me warmly.

I explained my situation. I needed a job and a room.



"Well, I'm sorry," she said. "We do have a basement room available but it's nothing you're used to."

I took it gladly. I might have been small and old but I found myself truly grateful for the first time in my spoiled life. I was able, with the help of the other people in the shelter, to find out how to navigate the welfare system so I could get a small allowance and take community college classes. The college offered me a work study in exchange for preschool teaching at their day care.

Life was not easy and I felt discouraged sometimes. I realized my childhood was very privileged and I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have. Many times as a young adult money for the bus or a used textbook or something like hygiene products became hard, if not impossible to come by and I went without luxuries most days. Speaking with the people who came and went at the shelter I found out that was the way life was for most people--spare money after paying bills was a rarity.

Leon returned Arris Town after he got his degree in Jamaica. He went back to work full time at the diner until he found a career position as a guidance counselor in the local high school. We were always and still are best friends.



It was through him I was able to find the strength to go to court and sue CASH for the money he took from me.

It took many years and a lot time in court fighting CASH's highly paid attorneys who accused me of being a flighty and irresponsible person. CASH testified once and said I was unable to handle money and cited how I walked out on a good job with his cousin because I wanted to hang around with losers and bums in a homeless shelter rather than earn my keep. My mother sat glowering in the courtroom that day. "I was a disrespectful and wayward child who had to be guided or I would have spent my trust fund money on who knows what," she said dramatically to the reporters who followed her and CASH after the session ended.

In the end, all I got was an old property in South Pleasantville belonging to the Hunt Real Estate Corporation. It used to be some sort of factory in the late 1800s, but in the 1920s CASH's father had it turned into a rental house for unclaimed income each month. It was ugly and worn out but to me it was finally a place of my own.


Thanks to this case, someone decided to investigate CASH and his holdings. Suddenly many claims of "pyramid schemes" and "ill gotten gains" were being hurled in his direction.

Too bad time ran out for CASH.



I think my mom is going to need me in the future. Will I be there for her? I don't know. Maybe not. For now it's time for me to be happy and live my own life---the real Life of Laura.

The End

**Thank you to everyone who read my story. I hope you liked it. Thanks so much if you took the time to comment.**
Back to: Chapter 22--Doing the Right Thing
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