Lucky Charm - A Short Story
Spring-cleaning in the fall isn’t really Spring-cleaning is it? It’s just cleaning, right? Well, that’s exactly I’m doing. I’m cleaning the mess in my house; it’s really my house now. All it took was a lottery ticket, a lawyer, and a signature. It was really quick. The long part was cleaning, definitely cleaning the house. I really needed get rid of all the clutter, books, and most importantly the memories. Years of junk filled the house. I started with the library. Deciding on the books I would keep and the books I was going to donate was a difficult task. Some had more sentimental value then others; never the less they all couldn’t stay.
I jumped from one project to another, always leaving just enough work to finish within a few minutes. For some reason, I wanted to have a long list of things to do, but I also wanted a long list of things I accomplished. When I finally got to my old room, I couldn’t believe how dusty and aged it had become after all those years. Photos, trophies, and letters scattered the room. Buried among the remnants of my youth laid my fondest memories. Her name was Charm.
Charm was my best friend and my sister. I think I should introduce myself before I tell you the rest of the story. My name is Crystal. When I was nine years old, Charm’s family adopted me. At first Charm and I did not get along so well. She was a year older then me, and I’m not afraid to say it but Charm was a brat. I on the other hand was still quite shy. It took a long time before I finally got use to living with them. Even though Charm was a brat and at times incredibly selfish, she had a kindness and eagerness that help me feel like it was my family as well. My foster parents, actually I’d rather call them mom and dad, were amazing. They gave me an opportunity I would have never had if I stayed in the foster program. I thank them for everything. My life will always be indebted to them. Charm probably encompassed the best part of my childhood. I envied everything she had: her family, her outgoing nature, and in many senses her life. Charm had it all, I was just fortunate enough to be on the same ride with her. She was the lucky one. But enough with that I must start my story now.
Like I said Charm and I were best friends. Yes, you heard it correctly, were. It’s past tense now. It’s been almost two years since everything changed. It’s almost funny how fast everything could change. After we went college, distance got the best everyone. We use to be a close-knit family, but Charm decided to go to Stanford and I went to Rutgers. In my third year of college, financial problems hit our family. Dad lost his job and Mom got sick. Though they didn’t want to affect education, money was incredibly tight. Charm stopped attending college even though she on her last semester. She went back home to take care of mom. I still continued going to school since mother was stubborn to give one specific thing. Ever since they adopted me, they just wanted to give me a better future and that started with giving me an education. I knew that was the very beginning of the bitterness Charm had for me.
I started organizing all the photos that filled the house. As I stared, at family Christmas pictures I remembered being so out of place. Even though they were my family, they were more Charm’s family. Especially the first couple years, I definitely looked out of place among the rest of the family. I seldom smiled. As the years soon piled up, I learned to smile. My jealously for Charm slowly diminished but it never completely went away. I was just happy that I was no longer alone. I bought new picture frames and placed all the family photos strategically through out the house. It took nearly three weeks to completely clean the house, but I got it finished. All the dust cleaned. The old magazines and trash were thrown out. The house was placed back into its original condition except the house was covered with photos of times when life was much easier. Growing up was a beautiful time for all of us. Though we fought and struggled to understand each other. We loved each other, and we didn’t fear losing everything. How things quickly change.
In my last semester at Rutgers, mom got worse. Dad took the first job he could find after he lost his job a year ago. It was difficult and he only could find a job that paid significantly less. They were about to lose the house. To be honest, they did lose the house. It was completely devastating. Charm always wanted to raise her family there. Dad took it with stride. He did all he could do to make sure Mom would survive. Charm got a job as well. Between work and taking care of mom, Dad and Charm could barely find anytime for themselves. Even though we were best friends, Charm stopped talking to me. As much as I wanted to help mom and work, I couldn’t break her heart and not finish my degree. She thought I betrayed our family and I was selfish, but I also couldn’t bring myself to tell her mom wanted me to finish school more than her. Mom always knew Charm would survive some how. Even if she never finished school, she had a moxie that would carry her in any field. And this was true. Charm found a job, as an analyst and she quickly became a consultant. She was almost a genius at economics. It did take her some time to find that kind of success. I know it wasn’t much but I started buying lottery tickets every week during my last semester. Unfortunately, it was too late. We lost the house, and we didn’t even have enough money to move the all our items into storage. Since Charm and I were out of the state, Dad just left it in the home. Dad didn’t care. It was all worth it. Charm lost her childhood, and I was graduating with honors. It was a bittersweet day for mother. Charm was bitter. For the first time, I knew she was jealous of me.
I couldn’t find a job right after college. I didn’t have Charm’s luck or moxie. Even with honors, literature and journalism are difficult jobs to get into. I struggled with so many issues that spring and finding a job was the least of them. To say Charm was upset at me would be an understatement. After losing the house, every single penny went to mom’s hospital bills, medication, and rehabilitation. For all those who are concerned with my mother, she survived though we almost died with her not literally. What with little money I saved up, I continued to buy lottery tickets. I tried calling Charm. I know the exact time and date. It was June 28, 2010 at 3:44. It was the day Charm and I stopped being friends and sisters. I called to ask for money, and that ended it. She could not believe I could ask for anything more after our parents gave us everything. Nearly two years of bitterness and jealously finally exploded though the phone call. After she said everything, she said good-bye. I tried calling 34 times in the span of two hours, another important number. She never once ignored my phones in nearly 13 years of my life. Though she can be incredibly nice, she has a level of vengeance that cannot be taken lightly. I knew she was serious. That day I bought a ticket with the following numbers 3, 6, 10, 20, 28, 34, 44. Charm’s luck even extended further then she could imagine. Next time next week, I had won 3.5million dollars. After taxes, it was a cool two million dollars.
The first thing I bought was our old house. I did not tell my family immediately that I won the lottery or I that I had bought house. I had only one chance at this and I had to go through the right channels. Charm was not going forgive me so easily. By the time I had the money in my bank account and I bought the house, fortunately no one had bought since it was foreclosed, it was already August. During that entire time, Charm did not speak to me for almost 4 months straight. Mom and Dad tried everything to get us civil, but Charm was once again being a brat. She was incredibly stubborn, but that stubbornness has brought her so much success.
When Charm found out the house was finally sold, mother told me she broke down. Charm took a leave of absence from work and immediately flew back home. I was preparing a surprise of a lifetime. I told the broker and realtor not to disclose the buyer and inform my mother and Charm that they may visit the house one last time before the house is renovated.
We all met up at the house. No one entered the house until every family member arrived. To my surprise, Charm brought her boyfriend. Mom and Dad welcomed him with open arms though I never even knew of his existence. It was the first time we had been together in such a very long time, so adding another person to this event didn’t really matter all that much to me. I was just happy we could be together again. Not too long ago, mom could have died. Not too long ago Dad lost his job. And not too long ago Charm and I were friends. Charm didn’t introduce me to her boyfriend nor did I approach the two. I could barely keep my tears in. Charm had angry eyes and her boyfriend knew it. He grasped her hand to soothe her trouble. When we reached the front door. I opened it.
I can tell you that the house was absolutely beautiful and completely flawless. My mother’s face was priceless. There was a certain amount of happiness you could not put into words. My mother immediately hugged my father. They were all shocked of the pristine condition of the house. I finally told them the truth. All the work I put into the house, and the luck that Charm had given me. On top of it, I told them that I was giving the house back to Mom and Dad. They were in disbelief. Then I called the broker to inform Charm and my parents of the buyer. The realtor disclosed that I had bought the house three weeks ago. I took out the deed and signed it over to my mom and dad. Charm just was completely in shock. I still didn’t have the courage to approach her. Father just smiled. His eyes watered but being the pillar of strength, he did not allow a single drop to fall.
The moment I was finally hugged it was from behind. Charm jumped on me nearly tackling me to the floor. She didn’t say but I knew were finally good again. I didn’t cry. I was happy that our family was together again and we were finally happy again. Two years of hardship is difficult on any family, but we made it. Charm and mother just kept crying though they were joyous cries. I smiled. I finally was able to give back to the family that gave me everything.
Charm’s boyfriend wandered around the house. I approached him while he held a family picture when I was eleven. And then he said the words that I thought I would never hear in my life.
“You and Crystal are definitely sisters. I have a sister myself. You know you have your mother’s smile and you have your dad’s eyes.”
It was the first time anyone saw any resemblance between my mother and me. Without even noticing it, I had tears running down my cheeks.
“It’s only natural that I have my mother’s smile.”
