The Stakes

Benji

If I won this thing I’d be walking away with two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to put into my shelter. I’d be able to afford an extension. I could add more bedrooms and therefore more beds. I could give the kids some privacy and not have up to six of them sharing one bedroom. I could keep them with others more in their age group, rather than having a sixteen year old in the same bedroom as a twelve year old. It created issues sometimes.

It would also feel good to walk into the shelter on Monday morning and show Julia that everything was fine, and that she didn’t have to worry anymore.

I felt bad for putting her through this. My conversation with Charlie had made me realize that it made sense for the kids to worry about me. Julia was just trying to hold onto something positive and stable in her life—something she hadn’t had a lot of. This was dangerous despite my skill.

My thoughts slipped away when Harley walked out onto the track.

She came and stood right in the middle of