Maggie

After our snow day, life returned to normal. Nash and I will have our moment, but I had to worry about other things. I had the pleasure of coming home to the Gray's house and saw a sold sign on top of the for-sale sign.

I frowned. My parents had sold my home with the belongings which I wanted. I entered the house, heading straight to my room.

*****

Nixon

I got out of the car, followed by my brothers.

"Man, as much as we fight, that's shitty," Nathan said.

"I agree. Maggie doesn't deserve this," I said.

We walked inside as Ma met us.

"What's wrong with Maggie?"

"Is Nash home?" I asked her.

"No, he's helping your father at the plant. Why?"

"Look." Nathan pointed to the door.

She walked over and opened the front door. "Sonofabitch!"

"Ma!" The brothers said.

"Oh, please, none of you can act offended. You boys cuss worse than I ever did." She rolled her eyes. "I'll talk to Maggie." She turned and walked upstairs.

*****

Maggie

Someone knocked on my door. "Maggie? It's Pat, Hun. Can I come in?"

"No offense, Pat, but I'm not in the mood to talk."

"Okay, but if you change your mind, come find me." As she left, I sniffled.

*****

Nixon

We met Ma at the bottom of the stairs.

"How is Maggie?" I asked.

"Well, she's upset. I didn't think Maggie's house would have sold so quickly. The housing market hasn't been good."

"Are you calling Dad?" Noah asked.

"No, your father and brother will find out soon enough." She walked past us.

I pulled out his phone.

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked me.

"I'm calling Nash." I found Nash's contact info and hit send. "Nash? We have a problem."

*****

Nash

Dad and I pulled into the driveway and saw the sold sign in front of Mags' house.

"Nix wasn't kidding," I said.

"We had better get inside. Maggie must be heartbroken."

We walked into the house. Dad found Ma as I went to see Mags.

I knocked on her door. "Mags, it's me. Can I come in?"

"Yeah."

I entered her room, closed the door behind me, then took a seat next to her. I wrapped my arms around her as she cried. "Shh, you're okay."

After crying for a few minutes, Mags sniffled. "It wouldn't be bad, but I want my stuff from the house."

"Is that why you're so upset?"

She peeked at me. "Well, yeah. I want my pictures and other items. Personal mementos that you can't replace."

I smiled. "I say that you should have your things."

"How?"

"I have an idea." I smiled.

*****

Maggie

Before anyone gets any bright ideas, no, we didn't break into the house. Nate called the realtor after Nash talked to him and persuaded her to let me go into the house to take whatever I wanted. After much cussing on Nate's behalf, she agreed to meet us at the place tomorrow after school.

*****

After school, the realtor met the boys and me at the house. She opened the door, shocking me. The people trashed the place. For the past few months, whoever rented my home did not take care of it.

"Damn. A bunch of pigs lived here!" Nixon said.

I had no words. I wanted to take what I wanted to keep. We climbed the stairs to my room. I opened the door to find my bedroom still intact. At least they didn't demolish my room.

We set the empty boxes down, and I packed my personal belongings.

"Aw, you still sleep with a teddy bear." Noah picked up my teddy bear off my bed.

I snatched the stuffed bear from his hands. "Don't touch, Mr. Fluffykins."

"Fluffykins?" Nash arched an eyebrow at me.

"Well, he's fluffy." I shrugged.

Nash shook his head and chuckled.

"Damn, Nash. Now I can see why you took an interest in Maggie." Nathan held up a pair of lacy panties.

He smacked Nathan on the back of his head. "Don't act like Nolan." Nash snatched the panties from Nathan's hands and then walked me. "Can you wear these one day?"

My cheeks warmed.

"Maggie, what's this?" Nixon pulled out a document.

"I'm not sure." I walked over and opened the document. I read through the papers, which looked like a legal documents.

Nash took the paper from me and read it. "The document looks like a trust. Who's Graham Holcomb?"

"He was my grandfather and my mother's dad. Why?"

"Because that's who signed the form." He pointed to the signature.

"That is weird. I didn't know my grandfather well because he died when I was six."

"Here's an envelope," Nixon said.

The envelope had no address on the front. I found a letter.

Dear Margaret,

I hope you're doing well. I am writing this letter to explain the secret document you had found. Why is an older man hiding stuff? I understand, my daughter. Money was more important to her than people. She found a man like your father, who's greedy.

You'll find a binding and legal trust with money that I have set aside for you in the document. Part of the trust will pay you when you turn eighteen. The rest comes when you turn twenty-five.

Margaret, I wanted you to have an excellent start in life. I tried to clarify things for you. Money doesn't make us rich. The people in our lives do. The ones who care when we have nothing and still love us are the riches you'll ever need in your life. Cherish them because, nowadays, they're a rare commodity.

Please don't tell your parents. I don't want them to take money from you, for it's not theirs to take.

Love

Papa

I stood in the middle of the room, shocked. I had a legal document under my nose and didn't realize it. The money was nice but meant little to me.

Nathan whistled. "That is many zeros."

"Can your dad look at the document?" I asked Nash

"Yeah, sure. Mags, if the trust is real, are you moving out?"

His brothers stopped and looked at me.

"I haven't thought that far ahead. If the trust is legit, I would prefer to go to school. Then I'll figure things out along the way," I said.

"You can always stay and attend a local college. That way, you'll have a home-cooked meal," Nixon said.

"And a comfy bed to sleep in," Nathan said.

"Along with brothers who would pester you." Noah shrugged.

Nash leaned down. "Plus, if you move, I won't get to see you before bed and after you wake up."

I glanced at the brothers who awaited my response. "I guess I can stay longer and finish school, then go to college."

"Oh, yeah, because education is essential," Nash said.

"Sure." I sighed. "First, let's pack my stuff, then we can go from there."

With that, they helped me pack. I took what I wanted and the pictures that meant the most to me.

My grandfather was right. Things don't matter, but people do. The Grays gave me a place when they could have said no. They didn't, which made me grateful. To me, they were family. So, why would I leave their family?

I had a perfect idea if the money was legit. My idea would mean something to everyone, including myself.