But let’s wait until everyone’s here. My father joined us, asking about my apartment’s persistent plumbing issues, problems I would soon be able to leave behind forever. When we sat down to eat, I took a deep breath and decided it was time.
I have some news, I began, my heart pounding. Something pretty incredible happened last week. I won the lottery.
My parents stared at me in disbelief. The lottery, my father repeated. Like 20 bucks? No, I said, my voice steadier than I expected.
The state lottery. I matched all six numbers. It’s, it’s 2.5 million dollars.
The silence that followed was profound. Then both my parents erupted in exclamations of shock and congratulations. My mother actually got up to hug me, something that rarely happened in our family.
Oh my goodness, Mackenzie. This is unbelievable, she exclaimed. Wait until Brooke hears this.
And there it was. Not even a full minute of celebration before my sister was mentioned. As if on cue, the front door opened and Brooke swept in, fastenably late as usual.
Sorry I’m late, traffic was awful. What did I miss? My mother practically tripped over herself rushing to deliver the news. Mackenzie won the lottery.
2.5 million dollars. Brooke’s expression shifted rapidly from surprise to excitement to something more calculating. She hugged me with unusual enthusiasm.
That’s amazing, Mack. We’re going to have so much fun with this. I felt a knot forming in my stomach at her use of we.
Before I could respond, my father chimed in. This is perfect timing, actually. Brooke, tell your sister about your situation.
Brooke at least had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. It’s not a big deal, really. I’m just in a bit of a financial bind with the business.
The business was her latest venture, an online boutique selling overpriced bohemian clothing that she’d started six months ago after abandoning her job at a marketing firm. I’d already heard from my parents that it wasn’t going well. It’s more than a bit of a bind, my father corrected.
The credit card debt alone is nearly thirty thousand dollars, and then there’s the inventory loan. Dad, please. Brooke interrupted, shooting him an annoyed look before turning back to me with a practiced smile.
But hey, that’s not important right now. This is about your amazing news, though. I mean, if you were thinking about helping family, I wouldn’t say no.
I sat there, food forgotten, as I processed what was happening. Not a single question about how I felt about winning. No inquiries about my plans or dreams.
Just an immediate pivot to how my windfall could solve Brooke’s problems. I haven’t even received the money yet, I said carefully. There’s a whole process, and I need to speak with financial advisors about the best way to.
But you will help your sister, of course, my mother interjected, as if it were already decided. Family helps family. And with so much money, you can easily spare enough to clear Brooke’s debts and give her business a proper chance.
The knot in my stomach tightened. I haven’t made any decisions yet. This just happened, and I’m still processing everything.
What’s there to process? My father asked, his tone shifting from celebratory to something harder. Your sister needs help, and now you can provide it. That’s what family does.