Lottery
Chapter 29
By Mark J. Silva Jr
Lily sat in her aunt Tessa's living room, and watched her brother carefully. Over the years, she never noticed him with any girls, and he'd always been a little chubby. Now, as he watched a holoshow, she realized a few things. First off, was that the naked actress never fazed him. He had no reactions at all to her. She noticed that before, and figured that maybe he wasn't attracted to girls… no big deal. But when the pretty boy came on the screen, and the actress ripped off his clothes, Paul still didn’t react. He even picked up a book like he was bored as the screen got hot and steamy.
Paul wasn't gay, he just had no interest in sex at all. Lily decided she had to know and walked over to the couch and sat down besides him, “Can I ask you a question?”
Paul placed his book in his lap and smiled at Lily, “What's up sis?”
The world shrank and her throat tightened, “Um, Well. Mark told me about a… a problem, you were born without…”
“Without what?” Paul asked.
The words were stuck in Lily's throat and Paul stared at her and after a few moments she spit it out.
“Balls!” she screamed and suddenly covered her mouth in shock.
Paul face saddened as he said, “He told me I had to tell you, but I just couldn't.”
Lily stared at Paul and was wondering why Mark would have told him he had to tell her.
“Paul, why don't you go get that package from your room, and show her,” Tessa said as she stood in the hallway.
Paul looked at Tessa and replied, “Okay, Auntie Tess.”
Paul got up and headed down the hall to his room. Tessa walked over to an old wooden reading chair and sat down across from Lily.
“So, Mark told you of Paul's problem?”
“Mark told me a few days ago,” Lily said as she watched Paul return, carrying a large folder.
Paul sat back down, opened the folder, and showed Lily a Certificate of Ownership. Lily read it over and over again, and then looked back at Paul.
“Is this a joke?”
“It's no joke, Lily. It only requires my signature to make it official,” Tessa answered.
Lily looked at Tess and then back at Paul.
“It is Paul's choice, but that's not all of it,” Tessa said as Paul pulled out another paper.
Lily read it over and then back at Paul, “I don't get it, these counter each other.”
Tessa took the page, and laid it back in the folder.
“The choice, Lily, is to be bought and sent off to 'Le Cordon Blue' of Earth, and become a chef; or take the other path in life, and become a pet.”
“These are the only offers I have ever seen, Sis. I love cooking, and this cooking school is the best in the galaxy. But, if I became a pet, I would never ever have to worry again, either. I don't know what to do,” Paul said as he stared at the contracts.
Lily sat back in the couch and looked up at the ceiling.
“Who get's the money Auntie?” Lily asked.
“That's a good question, Lily. On both contracts, it would be a sixty/forty split, with the forty going to your mom.”
Lily moved the two contracts so they were side by side and both had one thing in common and it confused her even more.
The buyer was Mark.
* * * *
“GET OUT OF MY ROOM!” Mark screamed at the top of his lungs.
“You will listen to me boy! Just pay me and I will leave,” Riley yelled back at Mark who was cornered in his room.
Mark moved sluggishly towards the bathroom but Riley bolted to the doorway first.
“You can't run, we are locked in her and you are not getting out until you give me some fucking money,” Riley said as she moved in closer to Mark.
Mark was mad at himself. Moments ago he walked back to him room alone while Tina and Penny ate their dinner and he didn't notice that Riley was not in the living room. Not until now, after he used his bathroom and stepped back into the bedroom, did he realize Riley was in his room and she had locked the door trapping him in the room with her.
Mark turned to run for the yard area when Riley grabbed him from behind and forced him face first down onto the floor with her knee in the middle of his back and twisted his arm. Mark screamed in pain as Riley knee dug into his spine and bruised back.
“I will break this fucking arm again if you don't give me some fucking money.”
Riley pushed Mark arm up higher between his shoulder blades to make her point.
“Riley Amber Bradly!”
Riley froze when she heard her mother's voice, and the way she said her name.
Mark screamed for help as Riley held his arm.
“What the hell do you think you are doing!” Di yelled as she rushed over to Mark and Riley.
Riley released Mark's arm and backed away from him while Di knelt down and helped Mark up. She checked his arm and back, but with the bruising already present, it was hard to tell if Riley caused any more.
“I just need some money,” Riley said softly as she watched Tina and Sasha rush in the room.
Penny stood by the door just out of view breathing hard as she fought the need to kill Riley. Mistress had stopped the assault, and Tina told Penny to wait outside the room, but she was so angry that she could taste blood in her muzzle. It was her only task in life: protect Mark!
Di looked up at Riley, “Do you want to go back to jail?”
Riley looked at the floor, “No.”
Di lifted Mark up and placed him on his bed, “It's up to you Mark, I will gladly call the police if you want me to.”
“Please don't.”
Mark and Di both turned and looked at Tessa and Lily standing in the doorway.
Mark sniffled, “She hurt me.”
Tessa walked in, went over to Mark as Lily stood and stared at her mother.
“Mark, Paul is here. He has made up his mind,” Tessa said as she walked over to Riley.
Mark's mood changed in a blink of an eye.
He smiled and asked, “Where is he?”
“He's waiting in the living room,” Tessa said.
Mark started to get up when Lily asked, “Why didn't you tell me you offered to buy Paul?”
Riley's eyes widened, and then she smiled.
“Paul deserves to choose his own fate. I didn't want anyone telling him what to do,” Mark answered as he slid off the bed.
“How much?” Riley asked excitedly.
Mark turned on her and snarled, “You won't see one fucking credit of my money.”
“You can't do that! I gave birth to that worthless prick! The law clearly states I get a percentage of his first sale, no matter what,” yelled Riley as Mark left the room.
Riley went to follow but Tessa stepped in her way, “Sis you need to stop, and wait here.”
“What do you mean, wait? You can't sell him unless I sign off.”
“We all know that. But if you go out there now, and start bitching, Mark will just walk away. What he is offering means a lot to Paul,” Tessa said.
Riley gave Tessa a nasty look, “So what did he offer him?”
Mark did his best to rush to the front room but his body was arguing the point of moving fast or even with grace. Once he was in the living room, Paul looked up and smiled at him.
Mark sat down on the couch, and Paul slid over the contract that he'd signed, “Can I asked one favor?”
Mark picked up the contract and smiled, “What is the favor, Paul?”
“When I'm done with the school, can I come home and cook for Aunt Tessa, also?”
Mark placed the contract down, filled out an add-on section, and shoved it over to Paul.
“Just sign, here,” Mark pointed to a space beside what he had just written, “and that will be part of the official contract.”
Paul was elated. He signed the add-on to the contract, and then looked back up at Mark.
“So, what's next?”
Mark picked up the contract and read it over once more, “The next step is some more wetware. Once that's ready, then it's off with you to school.”
Seeing Tessa reentering the room Paul jumped up and ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her, and with tears of happiness.
“He said 'yes!' I get to be a real chef, Auntie!”
Tessa and Lily looked at Mark, and smiled.
Di sat down beside Mark, and gave him a surprise hug.
“I hope you know what this means to him.”
Mark looked into Di's eyes, and smiled.
“I did for him, what Lisa did for me: I saved him from a fate worse than death.”
“Well, at least I get paid, finally,” Riley said as she stepped out of the hallway.
Mark looked over at her, “No, you don't. I checked! As long as your are on parole you can't collect. The only way you see a cent is by staying out of all trouble, for the next six years.”
Riley's eyes widened as she said in a whispered croak, “No! That's a lie!”
“No, Sis. I was with Mark when he had the contracts made up. You get forty percent, but only if you make it off of parole,” Tessa added.
“But I need the money, if I don't pay them their going to kill me,” Riley said in flat hopelessness.
Paul wasn't gay, he just had no interest in sex at all. Lily decided she had to know and walked over to the couch and sat down besides him, “Can I ask you a question?”
Paul placed his book in his lap and smiled at Lily, “What's up sis?”
The world shrank and her throat tightened, “Um, Well. Mark told me about a… a problem, you were born without…”
“Without what?” Paul asked.
The words were stuck in Lily's throat and Paul stared at her and after a few moments she spit it out.
“Balls!” she screamed and suddenly covered her mouth in shock.
Paul face saddened as he said, “He told me I had to tell you, but I just couldn't.”
Lily stared at Paul and was wondering why Mark would have told him he had to tell her.
“Paul, why don't you go get that package from your room, and show her,” Tessa said as she stood in the hallway.
Paul looked at Tessa and replied, “Okay, Auntie Tess.”
Paul got up and headed down the hall to his room. Tessa walked over to an old wooden reading chair and sat down across from Lily.
“So, Mark told you of Paul's problem?”
“Mark told me a few days ago,” Lily said as she watched Paul return, carrying a large folder.
Paul sat back down, opened the folder, and showed Lily a Certificate of Ownership. Lily read it over and over again, and then looked back at Paul.
“Is this a joke?”
“It's no joke, Lily. It only requires my signature to make it official,” Tessa answered.
Lily looked at Tess and then back at Paul.
“It is Paul's choice, but that's not all of it,” Tessa said as Paul pulled out another paper.
Lily read it over and then back at Paul, “I don't get it, these counter each other.”
Tessa took the page, and laid it back in the folder.
“The choice, Lily, is to be bought and sent off to 'Le Cordon Blue' of Earth, and become a chef; or take the other path in life, and become a pet.”
“These are the only offers I have ever seen, Sis. I love cooking, and this cooking school is the best in the galaxy. But, if I became a pet, I would never ever have to worry again, either. I don't know what to do,” Paul said as he stared at the contracts.
Lily sat back in the couch and looked up at the ceiling.
“Who get's the money Auntie?” Lily asked.
“That's a good question, Lily. On both contracts, it would be a sixty/forty split, with the forty going to your mom.”
Lily moved the two contracts so they were side by side and both had one thing in common and it confused her even more.
The buyer was Mark.
* * * *
“GET OUT OF MY ROOM!” Mark screamed at the top of his lungs.
“You will listen to me boy! Just pay me and I will leave,” Riley yelled back at Mark who was cornered in his room.
Mark moved sluggishly towards the bathroom but Riley bolted to the doorway first.
“You can't run, we are locked in her and you are not getting out until you give me some fucking money,” Riley said as she moved in closer to Mark.
Mark was mad at himself. Moments ago he walked back to him room alone while Tina and Penny ate their dinner and he didn't notice that Riley was not in the living room. Not until now, after he used his bathroom and stepped back into the bedroom, did he realize Riley was in his room and she had locked the door trapping him in the room with her.
Mark turned to run for the yard area when Riley grabbed him from behind and forced him face first down onto the floor with her knee in the middle of his back and twisted his arm. Mark screamed in pain as Riley knee dug into his spine and bruised back.
“I will break this fucking arm again if you don't give me some fucking money.”
Riley pushed Mark arm up higher between his shoulder blades to make her point.
“Riley Amber Bradly!”
Riley froze when she heard her mother's voice, and the way she said her name.
Mark screamed for help as Riley held his arm.
“What the hell do you think you are doing!” Di yelled as she rushed over to Mark and Riley.
Riley released Mark's arm and backed away from him while Di knelt down and helped Mark up. She checked his arm and back, but with the bruising already present, it was hard to tell if Riley caused any more.
“I just need some money,” Riley said softly as she watched Tina and Sasha rush in the room.
Penny stood by the door just out of view breathing hard as she fought the need to kill Riley. Mistress had stopped the assault, and Tina told Penny to wait outside the room, but she was so angry that she could taste blood in her muzzle. It was her only task in life: protect Mark!
Di looked up at Riley, “Do you want to go back to jail?”
Riley looked at the floor, “No.”
Di lifted Mark up and placed him on his bed, “It's up to you Mark, I will gladly call the police if you want me to.”
“Please don't.”
Mark and Di both turned and looked at Tessa and Lily standing in the doorway.
Mark sniffled, “She hurt me.”
Tessa walked in, went over to Mark as Lily stood and stared at her mother.
“Mark, Paul is here. He has made up his mind,” Tessa said as she walked over to Riley.
Mark's mood changed in a blink of an eye.
He smiled and asked, “Where is he?”
“He's waiting in the living room,” Tessa said.
Mark started to get up when Lily asked, “Why didn't you tell me you offered to buy Paul?”
Riley's eyes widened, and then she smiled.
“Paul deserves to choose his own fate. I didn't want anyone telling him what to do,” Mark answered as he slid off the bed.
“How much?” Riley asked excitedly.
Mark turned on her and snarled, “You won't see one fucking credit of my money.”
“You can't do that! I gave birth to that worthless prick! The law clearly states I get a percentage of his first sale, no matter what,” yelled Riley as Mark left the room.
Riley went to follow but Tessa stepped in her way, “Sis you need to stop, and wait here.”
“What do you mean, wait? You can't sell him unless I sign off.”
“We all know that. But if you go out there now, and start bitching, Mark will just walk away. What he is offering means a lot to Paul,” Tessa said.
Riley gave Tessa a nasty look, “So what did he offer him?”
Mark did his best to rush to the front room but his body was arguing the point of moving fast or even with grace. Once he was in the living room, Paul looked up and smiled at him.
Mark sat down on the couch, and Paul slid over the contract that he'd signed, “Can I asked one favor?”
Mark picked up the contract and smiled, “What is the favor, Paul?”
“When I'm done with the school, can I come home and cook for Aunt Tessa, also?”
Mark placed the contract down, filled out an add-on section, and shoved it over to Paul.
“Just sign, here,” Mark pointed to a space beside what he had just written, “and that will be part of the official contract.”
Paul was elated. He signed the add-on to the contract, and then looked back up at Mark.
“So, what's next?”
Mark picked up the contract and read it over once more, “The next step is some more wetware. Once that's ready, then it's off with you to school.”
Seeing Tessa reentering the room Paul jumped up and ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her, and with tears of happiness.
“He said 'yes!' I get to be a real chef, Auntie!”
Tessa and Lily looked at Mark, and smiled.
Di sat down beside Mark, and gave him a surprise hug.
“I hope you know what this means to him.”
Mark looked into Di's eyes, and smiled.
“I did for him, what Lisa did for me: I saved him from a fate worse than death.”
“Well, at least I get paid, finally,” Riley said as she stepped out of the hallway.
Mark looked over at her, “No, you don't. I checked! As long as your are on parole you can't collect. The only way you see a cent is by staying out of all trouble, for the next six years.”
Riley's eyes widened as she said in a whispered croak, “No! That's a lie!”
“No, Sis. I was with Mark when he had the contracts made up. You get forty percent, but only if you make it off of parole,” Tessa added.
“But I need the money, if I don't pay them their going to kill me,” Riley said in flat hopelessness.