William stuffed a handful of cookies into his mouth because he felt faint. He presumed his blood sugar had plummeted because his head had begun to spin. Although he doubted the sick churning in his stomach was due to blood sugars.

He tore out the page from the paper, crumpled it into a ball and threw the disgusting article across the room. That didn’t make him feel any better. Maybe he needed more cookies?

William looked down at his plan, picked up his pen and added three more lines to his things-to-do list. The choices Orelia forced upon him weren’t good if he planned on entering heaven, but there seemed no other way.

Thanks to Mr. Wonderful Agent and the fawning article, his resolve had been strengthened. Low blood sugar or not, he’d find the energy to do what must be done. He laughed at that thought. What was he becoming now? Some kind of hero?

25

Nem loved having a mom again. Peg and Ray Walters were people any kid would feel lucky to call parents. Although, when hugging her foster-mom with an “I love you,” Nem’s guilt at her feeling joy sometimes shrouded her like a descending veil.

She kept a picture of her real mother and her when she was six (taken during their one visit to a theme park). On nights when sleep did not come easily, she lay in bed wishing her own mom was still alive. They could then live happily together with Peg and Ray. The Walters were such giving, kind people she knew they’d welcome her with open arms.

What played on her mind was the idea that if she’d known about the diary before the night her mom died, maybe she might have lived. Maybe she could have used the diary to protect her. Why her mom hadn’t used it herself to stop Alan, she still couldn’t understand. All she did know was that a piercing ache squeezed her heart every time she tallied the what ifs.

Look what the diary did for the Walters. She discovered after checking that beneath Lacy’s entry had appeared Peg and Ray’s names along with the plus sign. Beside their name were the words:

all the money they need

In a funny kind of way, gaining a family was her reward for delivering justice. Justice may have been an exaggeration because Lacy and she only had an argument, but still her words had been mean, and she’d meant to hurt Nem.

Her life though had become busy. The Walters finalized the adoption and used their winnings to move to a bigger house in a very nice suburb. Remove the money barrier and of course you’ll buy your dream home, a new car and take that vacation to Europe. They embarked on these fulfillment of wishes gradually as though dipping their toes in warm water to test for comfort.

Nem felt a wonderful glow inside every time Peg dragged out the vacation brochures. Such a change from their normal life. They’d gone from where is the cheapest gas to where are we going on vacation?