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Short filmTranscript
00:01i was born in a town so small it didn't even have a traffic light my father was a hardline
00:06patriarch who was obsessed with having a son to work the farm and girls just left when the
00:11doctor said it's a girl my mother didn't cry my father did not from joy from disappointment
00:18we were already dirt poor two daughters one collapsing farmhouse bill stacked higher than
00:25the corn silos and then there was me the third girl my father told everyone it was god's mistake
00:31he didn't even look at me he wrapped me in a thin blanket and started walking toward the edge of
00:36the woods probably planning to leave me at some abandoned trailhead but he ran straight into the
00:40local pastor hill pastor hill knew exactly what was happening he talked my father down arguing that a
00:46girl could at least do the chores and keep the house clean he even promised to help settle some
00:51back taxes the family owed that's the only reason my father didn't leave me for the coyotes that
00:55night two months later my mother was pregnant again they became obsessed pouring what little money we
01:01had into miracle cures to ensure the next one was a boy i survived on powdered milk and scraps fed
01:06to me
01:06by my seven-year-old sister sarah years later she joke she was so tough she could eat solid food
01:13at six
01:13months i wasn't being tough sarah i was starving finally the heir was born my mother acted like
01:21she'd birthed a king she'd strep through the local market wanting my brother to every woman who didn't
01:26have a son finally feeling like she had some status in her miserable life nobody had time for me most
01:32days i was literally tethered to the bedpost with a nylon robe so i wouldn't get in the way of
01:36my brother's
01:36royal playtime it's a miracle i didn't die when i turned five it was time for school but my parents
01:42refused to pay for my supplies or the bus fees they didn't see the point in educating a girl
01:47then i got hit with a brutal lung infection i was burning up coughing until i choked night after night
01:54eventually my brother started coughing too and that's when my parents actually started to care
01:59not about me but about him they took us to a local clinic the doctor told them plainly the girl
02:05has a
02:06severe infection she needs a real hospital or she's not gonna make it and you need to quarantine
02:12her or she'll kill your son on the walk back my mother clutched my brother and took off walking
02:18as fast as she could to get him home i was gasping for air my chest tight as a vice
02:23i kept screaming mom
02:24but she never even glanced back she was leaving me behind literally and figuratively the cold was
02:31bone deep my vision blurred my stomach was a knot of hunger and then the world just went black i
02:37collapsed
02:37in the tall grass by the roadside when i woke up i was under a thick warm quilt three boys
02:43were hovering
02:44over me whispering and looking at me like i was some kind of strange creature they'd found in the woods
02:48a kind sturdy woman mary miller walked in with a bowl of chicken noodle soup i inhaled it but once
02:55i
02:55finished she told me she had to take me home in a town this small everyone knows who everyone belongs
03:01to her sons followed us calling my name and trying to make me laugh halfway there it started to snow
03:07the oldest boy leo took off his oversized gloves and slid them onto my tiny frozen hands when we
03:14reached the porch i heard sarah's voice from inside where's maya she's been gone all night my mother's
03:19voice was cold and sharp i hope the cold got her at least she won't be here to make your
03:23brother sick
03:24anymore i let out a jagged painful cough when my mom opened the door and saw me the look on
03:30her face
03:31wasn't relief it was pure disappointment my father just growled from the couch god she's still alive
03:38mrs miller looked at them then at me she didn't say a word just turned and started walking away with
03:44her
03:44boys the snow was coming down in thick sheets now leo let me keep the gloves but the warmth was
03:50gone
03:50i felt like a ghost standing in my own yard my father barked at me to go out and slap
03:54the hogs
03:55when i didn't move fast enough he grabbed a heavy broom and lunged at me but then mrs miller's truck
04:01screeched to a halt she'd come back she jumped out and stood between us staring my father down with a
04:07look of pure steel she looked at my bruised face then at him and said you know what give me
04:13the girl
04:13i've got three boys and no daughter since you clearly don't want her i'll take her
04:18we did it by the book as much as you can in a place like this mrs miller made them
04:23sign a
04:23notarized relinquishment form right there in the pastor's office so with 50 bucks the deal was done
04:29and just like that i became mrs miller's daughter as i was leaving linda leaned against the porch
04:35spitting sunflower seeds she's a sickly little jinx she's your problem now don't come crawling
04:43back in a month trying to get a refund because we aren't taking her back mrs miller my new mom
04:50dressed me in her youngest son's oversized hand-me-downs and bought me a pair of thick
04:54wool socks and sturdy boots for the first time in my life i had a warm breakfast every single morning
04:59at night she tucked me into bed and hold me close she smelled like laundry soap and wood smoke when
05:06i
05:06tried to muffle my coughs so i wouldn't bother anyone she just gently rubbed my back until i could breathe
05:11again my three new brothers treated me like a fragile treasure always letting me have the last
05:16bit of dessert or the best seat by the fire it felt too good to be true i spent every
05:21day waiting for
05:22someone to wake me up from this dream then winter really hit and mr miller came home he'd been away
05:28working a grueling construction job across the state only coming back for the holidays he was a giant
05:33of a man worn down by hard labor and quiet as a grave when mom introduced me he just stared
05:39at me
05:39with a deep scowl i could tell instantly he didn't want me there that night i pretended to sleep while
05:45they argued in the next room we're living paycheck to paycheck mary i heard him growl we can barely feed
05:53the boys what were you thinking bringing another mouth to feed into this house she hardly eats anything
05:58it's not just about the food mary you take a kid in you're responsible for her for life we can't
06:05afford that kind of commitment i'm out of cash and she needs a doctor that cough is getting worse
06:13do you have anything left from your paycheck there was a long heavy silence followed by the sound of
06:19him sighing in defeat and the rustle of his work clothes hitting the floor before the sun was even up
06:23mom woke me people in this town can't afford insurance on a seasonal workers wage so a trip
06:28to the clinic was a massive financial blow you usually just prayed and hope you didn't die
06:33i gripped the doorframe refusing to budge i was terrified that if they spent too much money on me
06:39they'd realize i wasn't worth the cost and send me back to frank and linda we were at a standstill
06:44until dad walked over without saying a word he scooped me up tossed me over his shoulder like a sack
06:49of
06:50grain and walked out into the cold maybe someone up there was finally looking out for me halfway to
06:55town we ran into an old retired doctor visiting family he took one look at me listened to my chest
07:01and told my parents it wasn't terminal just severe amount of nutrition and exhaustion he said he gave us
07:07some medicine for free and didn't charge for the visit after three days of rest i could finally take
07:12a breath without feeling like my chest was exploding by late december the whole town was buzzing for the
07:18holidays there was a huge christmas market in the town square and when mom found out i'd never been
07:22she insisted on taking me and the boys dad stayed behind his foreman had asked him to fix his roof
07:28for
07:28free dad hated being used as free labor but the guy still owed him two months back pay he figured
07:34if he
07:34did the favor he might actually get his money wage theft was a way of life back then you could
07:39break
07:40your back for a year and end up with nothing but despite the struggle the market was packed with people
07:45trying to find a bit of holiday joy mom bought me a huge candy apple none of my brothers got
07:50one but
07:51they didn't even complain i was staring at the lights and the crowds trying to soak it all in
07:55that's when i saw him in a sea of happy faces there was this little boy two adults had him
08:02pinned between
08:02them clutching his arms way too tight he was fighting tears streaming down his face his mouth was wide open
08:09gasping for air like a fish out of water but no sound came out i tugged on my mom's sleeve
08:14mom
08:15look at that boy something mom took one look in her face went pale the boy was dressed in fancy
08:21clothes
08:22but he was barefoot even worse his feet were raw and bleeding from being dragged across the asphalt
08:27mom's eyes narrowed tracking them like a hawk the couple looked frantic trying to shove the kid into a
08:33beat up old truck no but my mom she's got a heart of gold and a backbone of steel she
08:38grabbed us and
08:39marched straight into their path the man had a thick out of state accent hide this is my son this
08:46is a
08:46family matter but when mom looked the boy in the eye and asked if he knew them he just sobbed
08:51and shook
08:51his head violently a crowd started to gather show me some id her voice echoing in the square either we
08:58see some papers or we're calling the sheriff right now that broke them realizing they were about to
09:03get busted they literally shoved the boy to the ground jumped in their truck and floored it
09:07leaving a cloud of exhaust behind mom was leading us toward the station when a neighbor came running
09:11up mary what are you doing out here your husband just fell off a roof at the construction site you
09:17gotta get to the hospital fast i saw the color drain from mom's face she was just a substitute teacher
09:22making pennies dad was the one keeping the lights on if something happened to him we were finished
09:27my brothers were also freaking out but she didn't crumble she gave a quick statement to the police
09:33about the boy then turned to leo my oldest brother he was only 11 but she looked at him like
09:40he was a
09:40man she squeezed his shoulder hard leo you're in charge now look after your brothers and maya
09:46the snow started coming down and heavy blinding sheets leo led us home through the drifts but the joy of
09:52the christmas market was gone i looked at the candy apple in my hand now covered in gray slush i
09:57took a
09:58bite it tasted like bitterness leo made some plain oatmeal for dinner but none of us could eat only
10:04the mute boy we saved ate a full bowl an old neighbor lady came over to stay the night with
10:08us
10:09she kept stroking our hair and sighing that heavy god help us kind of sigh the wind held against the
10:14house all night and i couldn't close my eyes for a second at dawn mom came back her eyes were
10:20bloodshot
10:21and she looked 10 years older she started grabbing everything of value the laying hens the cured meat
10:26from the cellar and then she put on her boots to go door to door begging for loans dad was
10:31in bad
10:31shape the surgery alone was going to be eighty thousand dollars and without insurance that might
10:36as well have been a billion dollars to us dad had been making sixty dollars a day his foreman was
10:41a
10:41total scumbag he claimed dad tripped on his own and only offered two hundred dollars for hush money
10:46he even tried to say he'd already paid dad's back wages knowing dad was unconscious and couldn't call
10:51him a liar mom scoured the whole town and only came up with about a thousand bucks she was packing
10:56to
10:56head back to the city hospital when i ran after her with a small carton of eggs i'd found in
11:00the
11:00kitchen mom maybe you can sell these too that was the first time i called her mom i was terrified
11:06that
11:06if the money ran out the love would run out too she teared up and stroked my hair keep them
11:11for your
11:11brothers maya and listen to me no matter what happens you are our daughter forever before she
11:17left she gripped leo's hands look after maya and the quiet boy she whispered keep them safe leo don't
11:24you worry about your father i'm going to handle it i'll find a way i watched her walk away into
11:30the
11:30blizzard until she was nothing but a shadow in the white out later when the water ran out leo went
11:35to
11:35the well and i followed him a group of local women were huddled there gossiping linda was right in the
11:41middle of them one woman looked at me inside if the millers go broke over this accident they won't
11:46be able to keep that girl she'll probably end up back where she started she's a jinx things were fine
11:52for them until she showed up there's no way that little brat setting foot in my house again not a
11:58chance i won't have her cursing my precious son she can rot in the street for all i care leo
12:03grabbed
12:03my hand so hard it hurt he stood tall and stared them down maya is my sister as long as
12:09i have a crust of
12:10bread she'll have half of it we are never giving her up tears stung my eyes for the first time
12:16ever
12:16i felt like i had a real family linda just rolled her eyes and scoffed you brat you don't call
12:22the
12:22shot leo leo's face was beet red with rage finally mrs smith snapped for god's sake linda shut up that
12:30girl came out of your own body don't you have a shred of decency left oh i hope she finds
12:35everyone
12:36here started murmuring in agreement but linda just gave a nasty little smirk oh i have gotta gotta don't
12:42a girl but let's be real she ain't born for happy endings for lunch that day i only took a
12:49tiny scoop
12:50of mashed potatoes i figured if i didn't eat too much maybe my parents wouldn't have to worry about
12:55one more mouth to feed maybe that money could go to the hospital but leo saw right through me he
13:00grabbed
13:01my bowl piled it high with a second helping and scraped the last of the scrambled eggs onto my plate
13:05here you go maya his voice firm but kind he turned to the runaway boy we'd rescued and gave him
13:11an extra
13:11scoop you too kid you need your strength the boy struggled for a long time his jaw working as if
13:17he
13:18had forgotten how to use it thank you so he wasn't mute after all his voice sounded like gravel grinding
13:25together probably from the trauma or some infection he caught while on the run toward evening
13:30sarah snuck over to our porch she stared at my clean warm sweater
13:39i nodded did mrs miller buy that for you yeah my mom got it for me listen linda said that
13:45if the
13:46millers go broke and try to return you she's not taking you back she's already talking to some creepy
13:50guy in the next county who's looking for a living maid she's gonna sell you for cash maya i only
13:55came here to warn you because we share the same blood mom stayed at the hospital again that night
14:00the old neighbor lady mrs gable came over to tuck us in but the house felt empty and haunted without
14:06mom's warmth
14:10i had a horrific nightmare i dreamt i was back in frank and linda's shack locked in a rusted dog
14:16kennel while
14:16they stood over me with a belt i woke up drenched in cold sweat my heart hammering against my ribs
14:21like a trapped bird suddenly a violent pounding erupted at the front door mary leo open up it was
14:30the pastor hill's voice and he sounded frantic my first thought dad is gone leo bolted upright and
14:36scrambled to the front door it wasn't the sheriff's bad news about dad it was the quiet boy's parents
14:42his name is ethan you could tell just by their clothes designer coats and expensive leather boots
14:47that they were from a completely different world their faces were etched with pure raw desperation
14:52the moment the woman saw ethan rubbing his sleepy eyes in the hallway she let out a choked sob and
14:57threw herself at him clutching him like she was afraid he'd vanish if she let go ethan struggled for
15:02a moment his voice still raspy and broken but then he managed to choke out one word mom that broke
15:08her
15:08she started sobbing even harder ethan used a mix of broken words and frantic gestures to explain
15:13everything that had happened since those kidnappers snatched him mrs harrison kept kissing ethan's
15:18forehead then she reached out and squeezed my hand her eyes shining with gratitude maya she said
15:23maya you saved our son tell me honey what do you want i'll get you anything in the world i
15:30looked down
15:31at my scuffed boots and whispered i want my dad to wake up i want him to be okay the
15:38pastor hill stood
15:38in the corner and let out a heavy sigh they adopted this unwanted child and now the child's father is
15:44critically ill with medical bills piling up they're good people it's just life hasn't been kind to them
15:51lately mr harrison finally spoke up in my world kindness like that doesn't go unreward he walked over
15:58and placed a reassuring hand on my head don't you worry maya your father is going to be just fine
16:04i'm going to make sure of it
16:07they stayed the night in our cramped little house the next morning the harrisons loaded all of us into
16:13their sleek black suv to head to the city hospital it was the first time i'd ever been inside a
16:17car
16:17that didn't smell like wet hay and gasoline back then nobody cared about seat belt laws or overcrowding
16:23we kids were squeezed together in the back seat half scared and half amazed watching the mountains
16:28blur past the window the surgery had already started when we reached the hospital we found mom in the
16:34hallway literally on her knees begging the head of billing to authorize dad's surgery but rules were
16:39rules no cash no surgery mr harrison didn't say a word he just walked straight to the counter pulled
16:46out a black credit card and cleared the entire 80 000 balance in seconds minutes later the hospital's
16:52chief of staff personally came down to greet us suddenly dad was a priority they moved him to a
16:58private suite and paged the best neurosurgeon in the state by that afternoon the atmosphere changed
17:04completely a guy in an expensive suit the owner of the construction company showed up with dad's
17:09sleazy foreman in tow they were sweating bullets bowing and scraping to mr harrison like he was the king
17:15of the city turns out mr harrison sat on the city council and oversaw all their building permits
17:20the foreman who had been laughing at us two days ago suddenly found the missing back pay he handed
17:26mom an envelope full of cash and stammered that the company would cover every cent of dad's recovery
17:30they were terrified of what mr harrison could do to their business we were all standing there in shock
17:35trying to process how our world had flipped upside down in three hours mom couldn't stop crying
17:40clutching mrs harrison's hands and thanking her over and over mrs harrison just held her tight
17:46mary i thought ethan was gone for good you saved him this means far more to me than words can
17:52express
17:52her voice broke and right there in the middle of the sterile hospital hallway these two women from
17:57completely different worlds just broke down and sobbed in each other's arms as i listened to them
18:02talk the pieces started to fit together the harrisons were heavy hitters from the capital back in this
18:07tiny mountain town to visit their old family estate for the holidays they'd spent years struggling
18:12with infertility before ethan was born so he was their miracle child they usually had a full-time
18:17nanny but they decided to handle the trip alone this time one split second distraction at the market was
18:23all it took for those monsters to snatch him if it wasn't for mom's meddling heart ethan would be a
18:28statistic by now and the craziest part the shock of being saved by us actually broke the selective
18:33nudism ethan had struggled with for years he was finally talking when dad finally rolled out of
18:39surgery the lead surgeon gave us a thumbs up his leg was saved it was only then that i realized
18:44it
18:44was christmas eve mr harrison ordered a full catering spread from the best steakhouse in the
18:48city for our christmas dinner i sat there staring at the prime rib and loaded potatoes realizing there
18:54were flavors in this world i couldn't have even imagined in my wildest dreams after dinner it was
18:59time for the harrisons to head back to the capital ethan wouldn't let go of my hand he looked at
19:04his
19:04parents then at me maya come with us mrs harrison talked to mom in hushed tones for a while then
19:12she
19:12knelt down to my level maya sweetie how would you like to come live with us in the city you'd
19:17have
19:17your own room you could go to the best private school with ethan and you'd never have to worry
19:22about a meal again i looked at mom my heart sinking was she trying to get rid of me did
19:28she finally
19:29believe linda's words about me being a jinx mom's eyes were brimming with tears as she stroked my hair
19:34they're kind people maya they can give us a life we only dream of you deserve that i grabbed mom's
19:41hand and shook my head so hard it hurt i didn't want a mansion i wanted her mrs harrison pulled
19:47me
19:47into a hug smelling of expensive you're a loyal soul sweetheart you love your family more than gold
19:54and that makes you special i believe i'll see you soon as i watched their suv disappear into the
20:00snowy night i reached into my coat pocket my fingers brushed against something thick and paper
20:05wrapped it was a massive roll of hundred dollar bills dad's leg never fully recovered because of
20:10the delay in getting him to the city even with the best surgeons he'd always have a slight limp when
20:15he
20:15walked too fast but in our town keeping your leg at all was considered a miracle around here people die
20:21or end up disabled every day because they can't afford a doctor mom told everyone who'd listen that i was
20:26the reason our family was still whole she called me the hero who saved the millers even dad started
20:31calling me a brave kid everyone in town was praising me except for frank and linda just rolled their eyes
20:37telling people that if i hadn't brought my bad luck to the millers the accident never would have happened
20:42in the first place they still hated me but honestly i didn't care i had a dad and mom who
20:49loved me and
20:50brothers who protected me that was my real wealth a few weeks later the harrisons came back for a visit
20:56their trunk was overflowing with gifts imported chocolates high-end electronics and brand new
21:01designer outfits for all of us kids but they weren't just there to bring gifts mrs harrison had an offer
21:07she pulled some strings to get dad a job as a security supervisor at a major tech plant in the
21:12city
21:12it paid triple what he made on the farm had full benefits and was a lot safer than climbing roofs
21:18for mom they found an opening at a prestigious charter school in the city they'd set up an
21:23interview for a teaching position that could eventually lead to a full-time tenure contract
21:27and for us four kids they'd already looked into the school districts so we could all transfer
21:32together my parents were hesitant afraid of being a burden but mrs harrison just laughed it off
21:38it's not a favor mary it's an investment i just want ethan to grow up surrounded by kids as brave
21:45and kind as yours ethan had gone silent again the second they got back to the city it wasn't until
21:51mrs harrison mentioned coming back to visit us that he finally started talking in his broken raspy voice
21:56he was attached to us to me news of our lottery win spread through the mountains like wildfire
22:02before the harrisons could even pack their suv frank and linda showed up looking like they just
22:06smelled money linda had this fake sugary smile plastered on her face that i'd never seen before
22:12you know i went through 18 hours of labor for this girl she told mrs harrison i'm her real flesh
22:19and
22:19blood her only mother her eyes were darting toward the harrison's expensive car dripping with greed
22:26if you're handing out rewards shouldn't the real parents be getting paid frank stepped up too
22:32grabbing my other arm like i was a piece of property arthur arthur arthur we just can't bear to be
22:40apart
22:41from maya we're taking her back she belongs with her real family mary was frantic let her go you're
22:49hurting her please just stop but they didn't budge they held on to me like i was a golden ticket
22:56they
22:57were afraid to lose mr harrison watched them with a look of pure disgust mrs harrison knelt down in
23:02front of me ignoring the shouting maya are these people really your parents i pressed my lips together
23:09paralyzed with fear of course we are ask anyone in this god forsaken town we shared the same roof for
23:17five years mrs harrison looked conflicted playing along for a second look we're reasonable we're
23:26reasonable you just get our son into one of those fancy prep schools in the city that's all we ask
23:33you are important people a few phone calls from you and our lives will be settled the neighbors were
23:41all gathered around watching the drama unfold maya are these your parents of course we are biological
23:49siblings mrs harrison kept her eyes locked on mine i gathered every ounce of courage i had no
23:55mary and arthur are my parents these people are strangers linda's face twisted into something demonic
24:03screaming curses at me frank lost it he raised his hand to backhand me across the face but before he
24:09could connect arthur stepped in and shoved him back so hard he nearly hit the dirt don't touch my
24:14daughter it was the loudest i'd ever heard him speak he scooped me up and handed me to mom take
24:22my inside right away my dad usually the quietest man in the county grabbed a heavy garden hole from the
24:29porch he stood his ground like an iron wall if maya says she's staying she's staying you'll have to go
24:36through me to get to her the yard turned into a chaotic shouting match finally the pastor hill
24:41stepped in listen frank you signed the paper took the money and the whole town is watching
24:49you can't sell your child and then come back to take her away when she becomes valuable the neighbors
24:55started jeering calling frank and linda out for their disgusting greed the tide was turning against
25:00them linda was screaming her face bright red i gave to her and this is an unchangeable fact
25:08mrs harrison stepped forward a cold elegant smile on her face linda let me make it clear we won't repay
25:17those who give birth to children but only those who've raised children well we are grateful to those
25:22who showed kindness to my son not to those who abandoned their own daughter she picked up a box of
25:28expensive chocolates and tossed it toward linda take this and go home don't ruin everyone's holiday
25:34you won't get a single cent more we're just an ordinary family linda we don't have some magic wand
25:40to fix lives for people who won't help themselves
25:45linda and arthur realized the well had run dry and slunk away like beaten dogs i stood there tears
25:51blurring my vision terrified that i'd caused too much trouble for my new family mrs harrison knelt down
25:56and wiped a tear from my cheek oh sweetie it's fine it's not your fault and you did nothing wrong
26:01you were so brave just now you chose the people who love you and that's never a mistake
26:07it took a week to pack up our lives after the holidays the car sent by the harrisons picked us
26:13up
26:13as we drove toward the city i watched the mountains shrink in the rearview mirror leaving the darkness
26:18behind arthur's size and honest face made him a perfect fit for the security team at the plant
26:23the captain liked him instantly and mary stayed up late every night prepping for her teaching demo
26:28she taught every grade back home and her passion blew the interviewers away the harrisons helped
26:33us find a rental just a few blocks from their estate they wanted ethan and me to stay close
26:38hoping our bond would keep him moving forward ethan and i started at the same elementary school
26:43he was brilliant a literal genius but his stutter made him a target for the local bullies
26:47i was terrified of the bully myself but seeing them pick on ethan made my blood boil
26:52every time someone tried to shove him i was there standing in front of him like a human shield
26:57growing up in a house full of my noisy brothers forced ethan to find his voice
27:01by third grade his stutter was gone and he was topping every class
27:06he'd even help me with my math homework teasing me and calling me a dummy when i couldn't get the
27:10equations right
27:12i wasn't the academic star of the family my grades were always just average but my brothers
27:17they were crushing it constantly making the dean's list mom worked harder than anyone
27:22she knew she'd gotten her foot in the door because of a favor so she felt she had to prove
27:27she belonged
27:27there she spent her weekends tutoring kids for extra cash never taking a day off when her first class
27:33graduated with the highest honors in the district the school finally offered her a permanent
27:3710-year contract cheater i caught her crying in the kitchen tears of pure relief dad was the
27:43backbone of that factory while other guards slept through their night shifts arthur patrolled every
27:48inch of the grounds he was too kind for his own good always covering shifts for guys who wanted to
27:54stay
27:54home i was in middle school when it happened dad had agreed to cover another late shift around 2am
28:01two intruders cut through the perimeter fence the other guards saw their knives and froze in fear
28:06but not my dad even with his limp he chased them down one of them turned and buried a blade
28:12in dad's
28:13shoulder but he didn't let go he pinned the guy to the ground and held on for dear life when
28:17the
28:17cops finally arrived they found the thieves carrying sensitive blueprints proprietary tech that would
28:22have destroyed the company if it leaked my dad the limping security guard had just saved the entire
28:27corporation the burglars confessed they were hired by a rival competitor to steal those blueprints
28:32when mrs harrison came to the hospital to check on dad she was nearly in tears arthur you can't throw
28:38your life away for a company nothing is worth more than your breath dad just gave her that humble
28:45tired smile of his you stuck your neck out to get me this job mary i couldn't let you look
28:50bad
28:52besides if a man takes a paycheck he owes the man his best work mrs harrison went silent clearly moved
29:00by his old school integrity the corporate execs weren't blind to it either since the head of
29:05security was retiring the ceo announced that dad was taking a spot he'd earned it in blood and no one
29:11dared to complain luck was finally on our side the company had a program helping senior staff buy homes
29:16in a new development dad wasn't technically eligible yet but because of his bravery they fast
29:21tracked him with a small loan from the harrisons and years of mom's savings we moved into a beautiful
29:26three-bedroom condo my parents had their room my brothers shared the largest one and i for the first
29:31time in my life had a room of my own i used to dream of this but i never thought
29:35it would be real
29:36when we went back to the mountains for the holidays everyone treated us like royalty everyone except
29:42linda she cornered me in the kitchen hissing don't get too comfortable in that fancy condo
29:47you're a girl one day you'll belong to some man and this room will go to your brother she stared
29:54at
29:54my brand new sneakers with pure envy what size are those they look like they'd fit finn
30:03that backpack looks expensive too her eyes roaming over my things and i bet you got plenty of christmas cash
30:09give some to your brother it made my skin crawl as far as i was concerned i'd had three brothers
30:14since
30:14i was five ssat were looming mom hired a tutor and even spent every free second trying to drill math
30:20into my head but i just wasn't built for academics no matter how many late nights i pulled my grades
30:26barely budged the night before the big test mom brought me a glass of warm milk just do your best
30:32maya
30:34if the elite high schools don't take you we'll look into a trade school don't carry the world on your
30:40shoulders
30:44after the exams my adoptive grandma fell ill so we went back to the mountains to care for her
30:49she had several grandsons but i was her only granddaughter even though we weren't blood
30:53she treated me like her own sneaking me dollar bills from a little cloth pouch under her pillow
30:58the day after we arrived linda showed up at the front door she wasn't alone she was trailing a
31:03massive middle-aged man who looked like he'd been carved out of salt pork sweaty arrogant and eyes that
31:08felt like slime what's the point of education maya we all know you aren't the smart one linda said
31:13gesturing to the man behind her this is peter he owns the biggest industrial pig farm in the tri-state
31:18area well he's not as young as you are but he's wealthy you'll be set for life if marry him
31:23you'll
31:23be the queen of that farm isn't that better than failing exam peter sized me up from head to toe
31:32a
31:32greasy smirk on his face he held up two fingers acting like a big shot i'll write a check for
31:37two
31:37hundred thousand dollars right now provided she's still you know intact and if she gives me a son
31:44another one hundred thousand dollars bonus linda pulled mary aside whispering like she was closing a
31:50business deal look mary i'm being generous here i'll take 150k for the delivery fees and you keep
31:5750k dollars for the maintenance see raising her wasn't a waste of time after all mary looked like
32:03she was about to have a stroke maya's barely 16 she's a child linda didn't even flinch it's exactly why
32:11she's worth so much wait until she's 20 something and used up nobody's gonna pay a dime for her then
32:16my grandma sat bolt upright in her sick bed shaking with rage as she reached for a broom
32:21my uncles men with short tempers and big hearts instantly grabbed their farming tools my brothers
32:26followed suit picking up anything heavy they could find no uncle daniel jammed his hoe toward peter's
32:31chest you think your dirty money buys you a seat at this table go find a mirror you pig-faced
32:38creep
32:39you aren't fit to breathe the same air as my niece my aunt ran out of the kitchen brandishing
32:44the butcher knife pointing it straight at linda maya is the only girl in this family and we aren't
32:49letting a vulture like you sell her off if this pig is such a catch why don't you marry him
32:54you look
32:55like you've got the hips to pop out a dozen airs for him yourself mom pulled me behind her shielding
33:00me with her body maya is my daughter her legal papers are with the millers i am responsible for
33:06her future linda if i ever see you near her again i'm calling the police get out
33:14peter was sweating for his silk shirt terrified but linda wouldn't shut up fine kick us out but face
33:21the facts she's failing school she's got no future no one else is ever gonna offer you this kind of
33:27cash
33:27for a girl with no brains right then mom's phone started buzzing it was my homeroom teacher the
33:35entrance exam results were in who says maya can't make it my daughter is brilliant she's going to the
33:42best high school and after that elite university she's going to be someone you can only dream of
33:48being i hadn't just passed i peaked i scored 50 points higher than my best practice test with the
33:54threat of my uncle's taxes linda and peter scrambled for their car and got away maya the world is harder
34:00on women like us you have to work twice as hard just to stand still but you showed them today
34:07don't ever stop trying you'll get there ethan and i both made it into the city's top high school
34:13he was ranked first in the district i was well let's just say i barely scraped in he was in
34:18the
34:18honors wing on the first floor and i was tucked away on the fourth but every single day without fail
34:23he was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs he was popular the school's golden boy everyone was
34:29constantly whispering wondering who the average girl always by his side was the pressure was
34:34suffocating one day on the walk home i couldn't take it anymore ethan maybe we should stop walking
34:41together he stopped in his tracks his eyes narrowing why people are talking ethan they think there's
34:50something between us he didn't even look up from his textbook did you finish your calculus homework
34:57i stammered no not yet then you clearly have too much free time if you're listening to school gossip
35:04despite the rumors he kept waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs every day when the principal
35:10finally called him into the office to discuss distractions ethan just gave him a cold calm look
35:14she's family watching out for her is like a habit the administration kept an eye on us for a few
35:20weeks but since ethan's grades didn't drop and we weren't making out in the hallways they eventually
35:24let it go but then came a new headache half the girls in school started using me as a mailbox
35:28for
35:29their love letters after i delivered a few ethan actually snitched on me to my mom he told her i
35:34was
35:34neglecting my studies to run a courier service which got me grounded and made me an enemy to half the
35:39cheerleading squad my grades were still a disaster even mom had started looking into trade schools
35:44but ethan refused to give up he spent every night tutoring me explaining the same concepts over and
35:50over with the patients i didn't know he had i felt too guilty to slack off so i pushed myself
35:55just to
35:55keep from drowning senior year hit like a freight train a few weeks in ethan's world imploded mr harrison
36:02was taken away for a federal investigation his mother was forced into administrative leave
36:07in just a few days i saw the light fade from ethan's eyes he looked like he'd aged 10 years
36:12overnight i couldn't wrap my head around it the harrisons were the best couple i ever seen how
36:17could they end up like this mom just sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear
36:22maya in the world of power it's not always about right or wrong sometimes just standing on the wrong
36:27side of a line can destroy you
36:32over the years my parents hadn't actually spent much time socializing with the harrisons
36:36mom always said that true friendship doesn't need to be flashy they were there for us when
36:40we were at our lowest and we didn't need to suck up to them when they were at their highest
36:44but now that the harrisons were toxic everyone who used to beg for their favors had vanished
36:50except for my mom she took our family's entire life savings and went to see mrs harrison
36:54they talked for a long time when they finally emerged from the room mrs harrison's eyes were clearly
37:00swollen from crying mary i'm gonna be blunt this amount won't even scratch the surface of our
37:05legal fees keep it for your kids but if things go south for us please just look after me mom
37:13gripped
37:13her hand her voice shaking but certain i swear to god mr harrison he is my son always ethan tried
37:21to
37:21act like he was fine but i could see the cracks for the first time ever he dropped out of
37:25the top
37:26three in our monthly rankings i was terrified for him i started dragging him to lunch forcing him to
37:32study with me and sticking to him like glue one saturday i forced him to go for a walk by
37:36the
37:37river to clear his head the weather was turning the cold biting wind was whipping across the water
37:41and the trails were nearly empty just as i was about to head back i saw a splash an elderly
37:47man had lost his footing and fallen into the freezing current he struggled for a second then
37:52his head dipped below the surface i didn't think i didn't even look at ethan i kicked off my sneakers
37:58and dug straight into the ice cold water growing up near the mountains i've been a fish in the water
38:04since i was three when we moved to the city mom even enrolled me in swimming classes but real life
38:09rescue that was a different beast in the panic of the moment the elderly man grabbed my neck like a
38:14drowning sailor clinging to a mask i swallowed lungfuls of freezing water the weight dragging
38:19us both under thank god for ethan he found a long wooden pole and hauled us both toward the bank
38:24the second i called onto the grass talking and gasping he exploded are you insane maya what were
38:30you trying to prove playing the hero if i hadn't found that pole you'd be at the bottom of the
38:33river
38:34right now he was terrifying i gotta say but i could see his hands shaking i huddled into a ball
38:38shivering violently ethan i'm so cold his eyes were bloodshot filled with a fear i'd never seen
38:44before he ripped off his coat and wrapped it around me pulling me tight don't ever do that
38:50again maya he whispered into my hair promise me the paramedics arrived and rushed with the old man
38:56i felt okay just cold but ethan wouldn't take no for an answer he made the doctors run every test
39:02in the
39:02mom and mrs harrison arrived soon after pale with worry they both gave me the same lecture about
39:08reckless bravery their voices trembling with relief in the middle of the lecture there was a soft knock
39:13a distinguished looking man in his 60s stood there excuse me is this maya miller's room mrs harrison
39:21turned around and her entire posture changed she looked stunned almost breathless it's the state
39:27governor mr davis what what are you doing here mr davis's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked between
39:35us wait sophia you know this girl it clicked i'd seen his face on the news just last week ethan
39:44had
39:44stared at the screen with a dark expression and muttered i hope he's as honest as they say
39:48he's the only one who can give my dad a fair shake mrs harrison hesitated she's
39:52the daughter of a close friend i caught my mom's eye and she gave me a tiny imperceptible nod i
39:58knew
39:58what i had to do god ma'am what's wrong i chirped putting on my best innocent daughter act a
40:05friend's
40:05daughter aren't i your favorite god daughter mrs harrison froze for a split second then a look of
40:11realization dawned on her she reached out and patted my head oh you silly girl what i have saved is
40:17mr
40:18davis's father i shook my head pointing at ethan it wasn't just me sir if it wasn't for ethan both
40:23your father and i would be gone he was the one who kept his head and pulled us out mr
40:28davis looked
40:29at ethan with genuine respect sophia you've raised a fine son courage clearly runs in the family
40:36mrs harrison gave a modest smile he gets it from his father mr davis thank you after mr davis left
40:42mrs harrison came back into the room her eyes shining with something like hope thanks for that maya
40:48how did you know to call me god mom in front of him
40:53i glanced at mom feeling a bit shy mom always said if there's a chance to help you i should
41:00take it
41:01helping you means helping him but a man like mr davis didn't get to where he was by being naive
41:06mr harrison told us later that he'd had the police review the traffic cameras they confirmed his father
41:11had simply slipped and that ethan and i being there was nothing more than a lucky coincidence it wasn't the
41:16first time ethan and i had played the good samaritans helping old ladies carry groceries
41:20or walking lost kids ran into trouble just people who were genuinely grateful and it turned out he
41:25kept his nose clean but the same couldn't be said for his boss his superior was caught in a massive
41:30correct followed mr harrison was the only one with a clean record left to lead he didn't just keep his
41:34job he was promoted to the top spot the harrison estate was buzzing with people again mom was
41:39thrilled for them but she started keeping her distance you don't show you care by hanging around
41:45when people are successful you keep them in your heart and that's enough mr harrison didn't see it
41:50that way as the holidays approached she insisted on taking mom and me out for dinner
41:58mom thought it would just be a quiet family dinner but when we arrived mrs harrison introduced us to
42:03the superintendent of the city's school district the conversation stayed light mostly just small
42:07talk over wine but the message was clear as we were leaving mom whispered to mrs harrison you didn't
42:12have to do this for me sophia mrs harrison just squeezed her hand i know about this and it's exactly
42:20what you deserve you deserve this by the time the new semester started mom had been transferred to the
42:27most prestigious elementary school in the city on new year's eve mr davis sent a car to bring ethan and
42:32me
42:32to his home for dinner his place was surprisingly modest filled with old books and worn in furniture
42:37mr davis's father pulled out a pearl necklace and a pocket watch here one for mike he whispered with
42:44a glassy look in his eyes merry christmas kids i later found out that mr davis had a younger brother
42:50and sister who had tragically drowned decades ago the old man's dementia had convinced him that ethan
42:55and ever those lost children come back to life it broke my heart to see him smile at us like
42:59that
43:00that spring dad's company went through a massive restructuring people were being laid off left and
43:05right but arthur was untouchable he kept his role as head of security got a larger team under him and
43:10even a modest raise but i barely noticed any of it my entire world had shrunk down to one thing
43:15the sats were coming and my future was on the line
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