January 11, 2024

Carol

Brenda, Sarah, and Carol parked in unison in the restaurant parking lot at 3:30 a.m. Max was at the front door waiting for them.

“Hello darlings,” cried out Max as he ran out to greet his lady friends. “You three continue to surprise and amuse me daily, but this one takes the cake. Let’s go inside. Please, this way,” he said in his sultry, British accent as he gracefully gestured with his arm towards the building.  The three ladies walked past him and towards the front door.

“I am sure Sarah has already told you about the arrangements that have been made. I cannot explain it, but I am so excited,” said Max as Brenda quietly shook her head. “Come, let’s go into the back room where we will have complete privacy.”

At four o’clock on the dot, two men and a woman, elegantly dressed in black and white, entered the front door. Sam, the undercover cop, disguised as a waiter, silently locked the door and showed the trio to the back room. Max, Brenda, Sarah, and Carol just stared at the tall, beautiful people as they entered the dining room.

“Greetings to you all,” said the first man, his voice very calm and soothing. “We are delighted to begin this worldwide adventure here in San Francisco with you Carol Penelope Anderson. In a few moments, you will write in your desired amount on this blank check.” The second man pulled out a rolled-up device and extended it flat onto the table. Displayed on the sleek device was the image of a check with Carol’s name. All that appeared at the upper-left corner was a modern lined logo. It matched the lapel pins worn by the three people. The signature at the bottom of the check was illegible.

“Now, Mrs. Anderson, before we proceed, you can choose to be filmed as you fill out your amount, or we can block out your name and just film your hand. For further protection, your handwriting will be instantly converted into a basic font on the screen. Which method do you prefer?”

Without hesitation, Brenda chimed in. “Hand-fill the check. Just saying.” Turning, she looked straight into the ladies piercing blue eyes and continued. “Why are you filming this anyway?”

“Because it is a social media adventure.” 

“Well, that was simple and to the point,” whispered Sarah into Brenda’s ear.

“So, Mrs. Anderson, have you decided?”

 “Yes, I am opting for the hand and check only.” Instantly, with a graceful swipe of the hand over the device, Carol’s name became a blurry translucent rectangle. All eyes watched in awe.

“It is time. With your finger, simply hover over the device and write your amount on the line. The device will automatically transpose that amount into numerals in the rectangular box. When you are ready, you may begin. Remember, Dream Big.”

The tall woman zoomed in on the check and began to film with a device, the likes of which Brenda and Max had never seen before.

“I’m ready,” said Carol as her trembling hand hovered over the blank check. Standing behind the woman, Sam could see none of Carol’s jewelry. The curiosity was starting to make his head spin. Concentrate, he told himself. You are here to protect and keep an eye on the situation.

Carol’s vision started to blur. She blinked a few times getting her contacts to center and focus. She had gone through the numbers so many times, but now her mind was blank. Focus. Staring at the device, she began.

Twenty Million

Within a few seconds, her phone chirped. 

“Congratulations Mrs. Anderson. You are our first big winner. An additional app has just been installed on your phone. This app is a private bank account where the twenty million has been placed in your name, tax free. On the app, you can access and transfer however much money you would like to any account in the world. Simply follow the instructions, and voila. Also, here are two debit cards for this account for your convenience.”

The room was silent. No one seemed to believe what had just happened.

The tall woman walked over and stood beside Carol. “Here is the video that will be placed on social media. To maintain your anonymity, your name has been blocked out, and your jewelry is not visible.” Everyone in the room crowded around the woman and watched the short clip. It ended with a bright white burst of light, and the words “Congratulations to our first winner in San Francisco, CA. Twenty Million.”

“Wow,” said Max, “There is no way they will be able to tell it is your hand. That’s better than the beautify setting on our phones.”

“Before we leave, Mrs. Anderson, we would like for you to transfer an amount of your choosing to your bank account. We want to make sure you are comfortable with how the system works.”

Minutes later, Carol received a message from her bank of the transaction for four thousand dollars. 

“May I purchase something now with the debit card? Just to make sure it works as well,” asked Carol.

“Of course you may. Order some food from your friend here. You will see how simple it is.”

Moments later, with the transaction complete, Max had the kitchen staff start the meal order. As everyone chatted amongst themselves, the three tall people quietly left, unnoticed.

“What is Anthony going to say about all this? He’s not going to believe it,” said Brenda.

“I don’t know, my head is still spinning. I guess we will see how it all plays out,” responded Carol, still dazed. “He lands in a few hours. I know he will have so many questions.”

January 2024

Dee 

Dee had stared at her phone for far too long when she first saw the Blank Checks message and app.  She smiled as she fantasized about what she would do with the money. First, how much would she write down? A few hundred thousand would get me out of the mess Mark left me in. Add a bit more for some fun in life. Maybe half a million. Would that be too much? What the heck. At least I can dream.

It didn’t take long for the dark cloud to appear and start smothering her thoughts. The events that had shaken her world began to linger and dominate her mind. How could her life have spiraled out of control so quickly? She despised the force that continued to creep into her world. She could hear Claire in her head. “Take a deep breath. Clear your mind and focus on something that makes you happy. When you see those bad memories appear, just watch them float by. Tell them you are busy now focusing on something positive and enjoyable. Concentrate.”

It was easier said than done. Claire had insisted that she practice every day for thirty minutes. To Dee’s surprise, after three months, she noticed how much easier it was to control her thoughts. She could relax more easily and became more positive throughout her day. She didn’t need to remain in despair or fear for the rest of her life.

“Time to relax and let my mind wander.” Dee closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and imagined those adorable, chubby, babies moving and jiggling about to the music. A smile appeared on her face as her body relaxed into the joy of the moment. Inside her brain, the chemical factory continued to undergo a massive overhaul. Those old addictions to negativity, sorrow and despair were disappearing more and more.

January 11, 2024

Anthony and Carol

Carol had contacted Marcus who had rushed over to pick her up at the restaurant. Along the way, Carol briefed him on what had just transpired, leaving Marcus both bewildered and excited.

At the airport, Anthony saw the Bentley pull up. Instead of Marcus stepping out, Carol jumped from the car and ran to him, embracing him tightly and holding on longer than usual. Her excitement was palpable.

She urged him to sit down, her enthusiasm making it clear that something significant had happened. Marcus, standing by, confirmed that she would explain everything on the way home. Anthony agreed, watching as Marcus placed the bags in the trunk.

As they settled into the car, Carol revealed the astonishing news; she had participated in a social media game that had launched that month and had just won twenty million dollars, tax-free. Anthony initially dismissed it as a joke, but Carol assured him it was real.

The timing was uncanny. On the plane, Anthony had overheard passengers discussing a viral video about something called “Blank Checks.” The commotion had even delayed deboarding. He hadn’t paid much attention at the time, but now, Carol showed him the very video that had caused the stir. In it, she had chosen to remain anonymous, with her name blurred out and her jewelry digitally removed to conceal her identity.

As they drove home, Carol filled him in on the details, answering his many questions. As they neared the Anderson residence, she shifted the conversation, casually mentioning that Brenda, Sarah, Sam, and Max were at the house. She extended an invitation to Marcus, welcoming him to join them.

“Thank you, but I really should get back home. Our first grandson was born this morning, and I’d like to stop by and visit with him again.”

As the couple watched Marcus drive away, they stood in silence. It would not be long before they would start making changes for a life they had both dreamt of.

End of Chapter 1

Copyright © 2025

Part 8 /14

Target publishing date mid August, 2025