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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

Scott smiled as Betty handed him back the envelope. “They certainly are precious,” he repeated, his voice husky. He then removed another envelope from his briefcase. “And these are pictures of some of the celebrities who have contributed to Most Precious Treasures.” He handed Betty the second envelope.

“Oh, you’re in all these pictures!” Betty said with delight as she rifled through the photos. “Ed, look at all these stars posing with Scott!”

“I’m looking.”

“Those stars are good people,” Scott said solemnly. “They often get criticized for being too Hollywood or too self-absorbed. But let me tell you, when it comes down to the basics, they’re just like you and me. They care about the future of our children.”

“Oh, Scott!” Betty exclaimed. “This was all meant to be. Ed, to think we almost decided to stay in last night and cook hot dogs.”

“We came pretty close. I was starting to heat up the grill and you decided you wanted chicken with snow peas.”

“Meant to be?” Scott asked innocently.

“This morning Ed and I had a long talk about money. We knew we’d be discussing financial planning with you and possible investments, but do you know what we ended up talking about?”

“What?” Scott asked, trying to remain calm.

“Making a difference in people’s lives. We have plenty of money to live on. Our grandchildren have big trust funds and don’t need our dollars, which on the one hand is great, but on the other makes us feel, well …”

“Like you’re not as needed as you’d like to be?” Scott suggested helpfully.

“Yes!” Betty said. “That’s exactly it. We’re thrilled that Diane and Brad have so much. But we’ve never been able to experience the joy of giving our grandchildren something that their parents couldn’t afford. They already have everything! Just today we decided we’d give more of our money to charity, and list more charities in our wills. But we didn’t know where to start. And here you are, telling us about a charity that helps children. That’s perfect for us! Children who need us! I’m telling you, there are no coincidences!”

“None!” Scott agreed.

Two hours later, Scott drove away with a check made out to Most Precious Treasures. A check for fifty thousand dollars.

More was promised.

41

Edna,” Regan began. “The person who called before—”

“Look!” Edna cried joyously, pointing across the street. “My friends from Golden Peaks!” She dashed off to greet them.

Four elderly women were waiting out of harm’s way until the Flakes were good and gone.