19 Returning Home

A black F-150 pickup truck pulled into a dilapidated apartment building. Ryan the apartment manager was mowing the lawn while cursing his missing maintenance boy. He turned to the truck to see who would visit the desolate town of Briarcliff and noticed a familiar face.

"Michael is that you?" Ryan was confused because the face was the same as Michael's but the whole body looked different. The current Michael was toned like an Olympic athlete. He looked like he grew into a man within just a few months.

"Hey Ryan, miss me?" Michael replied while enjoying Ryan's reaction.

"Miss you? Do you know how much trouble you are in? Where have you been? You did not pay rent and you did not do your chores. I had to do all the work at the apartment for the past six months. You think you can just disappear and come back whenever you want? You are done! You better find another place to live" Ryan went of in a tirade. He had been miserable for the past six months because of all the manual labor he had to do.

"That's okay, I just came to get my stuff and did not want to live here anymore anyways" Michael replied while smiling. He could afford a mansion right now so why would he still live in this dump?

"I threw your stuff away because you disappeared. Don't blame me, its all your fault." Ryan replied while fuming in anger.

Micheal just shrugged and got back in the car and drove off. Ryan watched the truck leaving with his mouth open. Does that mean he will have to keep doing all the manual labor?

Second Chance Orphanage

George was a retired priest who founded Second Chance Orphanage. He was reading an Eviction notice from the bank with a frown. The orphanage got by with grants provided by the state every year; however, due to budget cuts, there was no grant this year.

With no other options, George had to use the orphanage and its property as collateral to get a bank loan. He was planning on finding private donors to make up for the grant money and pay off the loan. However, he could not find any donors and the bank was demanding eviction.

George knew he was getting terrible terms but he had no one else to turn to in this small town. The bank could extend the deadline, but chose not to in order to take over the land. He heard footsteps outside his office; George quickly hid the letter.

Jenny, one of the 12-year-olds stood outside the door. "Mr. Brandon is here to see you Father" She informed him. Brandon was the greedy Bank Manager who was the reason for George's misery.

"Is he here to kick us out? Do we have to leave? Where will we go?" Jenny asked. She was very smart for her age and could guess why the bank manager was here for. Jenny along with all the other children had nowhere else to go, that's why they were in an orphanage. However, if they got kicked out of the orphanage too then they really will end up on the streets.

"Of course not my dear. We will not have to leave anywhere. We still have more time and I am sure we can find some donors." George quickly reassured Jenny. He resolved to not give up until the very end. George was an orphan too, which is why when he retired, instead of retiring comfortably; he chose to open an orphanage. George sighed at the helpless situation he was in and went out to meet Brandon.

George saw Brandon waiting in the lobby in his cheap suit while smoking a cigar.

"Sir this is an orphanage, please do not smoke in here" George reminded Brandon.

"Did you not see the eviction notice? You only have one week left to pay back the loan or it will no longer be an orphanage." Brandon arrogantly replied while continuing to smoke. The loan was for $60,000 and the property was easily worth ten times that so he was anxious to evict them. Brandon knew the orphanage could not find any donors so he already considered it a done deal.

"The terms state that there are still two more months for the payment deadline. You cannot evict us now." George argued back.

"Well, the contract also stated that the bank was allowed to foreclose early if we are not confident in getting the loan paid off in time."Brandon pulled out the contract and showed the clause. The clause was supposed to be used in cases that tenants are destroying the property, so in order to avoid more property loss, the bank will foreclose early.

Brandon wanted to use the destruction clause to get the orphanage earlier. He heard rumors that a cell phone company was looking for land in the area for building a cell tower. The company would pay up to $100,000 per month as rent; The orphanage had enough land for one so Brandon could make up to a million dollars per year just by having the tower installed in the land. Naturally, Brandon was trying to get the property as soon as possible.

George and Brandon were still arguing when a black truck pulled into the orphanage. Michael stepped out of the truck. He had no idea what Brett's uncle was doing at the orphanage. Brandon was the manager of the only bank in town. Since he was arguing with George, that was not good news.

Michael had moved out of the orphanage when he was seventeen. He would occasionally visit them but was never up to date with the events at the orphanage. Father George had a habit of trying to keep all the problems to himself so the kids rarely knew what was going on.

"Michael is that you?" George could barely recognize Michael. Michael had changed completely; he lost his sorry appearance and now looked like a pro-athlete.

"Hello Father George, how are you? What is going on here?" Michael asked while turning to face Brandon.

"None of your business boy. Well since you grew up here, it might be your business. I am foreclosing the Orphanage for reneging on debt." Brandon replied arrogantly.

"How much is the loan?" Michael asked. Since he knew about it, he would not let the orphanage get shut down.

"No Michael don't worry about the loan. Why don't you go in and visit the kids? I will be right there" George tried to shoo Michael away. He did not think Michael's meager savings could help them and so did not want Michael to worry.

"Yes unless you have $60,000 in cash then I suggest that you do not get involved" Brandon sneered. There was no way orphans like Michael could earn that sort of money.

"Actually I do. I will pay the loan" Michael declared, stunning everyone.

"Michael don't joke around, besides the loan was only for half that money the bank is committing fraud; do not listen to them." George tried to warn Michael. He did not think Michael really had the money; he was probably just lying to buy more time for the orphanage.

"I have the money. I will show you my bank account" Michael declared and pulled out his phone. He showed Brandon his checking account with $19 million balance.

"That's impossible!! Its fake, you must be a hacker" Brandon started spasming. He could not believe that all his plans were falling apart and this orphan kid was a millionaire. Brandon refused to let Michael pay off the loan.

"Father why don't you go in and let me chat with Mr.Brandon alone for a bit" Michael suggested. He did not want Father George to see what he was going to do next.

George hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to trust in Michael and walked inside. Michael then turned to Brandon.

"Now then shall we get started? Mr.Brandon"