When a Life Is Worth Only 100 Bucks

Holding Mom's urn, I returned to the country alone to handle the funeral arrangements. Aunt Sharon, Mom's sister, helped me with the wake.

"Where's Alicia?" Aunt Sharon asked. "Why didn't she come back?"

"She's still on a peacekeeping mission…"

"That again? She didn't bother saving your mom when she got kidnapped, and now she won't even come back to help with the funeral! If your dad hadn't rushed into the fire to save her back then, she would've already…

"Your dad died saving her, and now your mom is gone, too. Will she only be satisfied when our entire family is gone?" Aunt Sharon broke down.

The harsh light of the hall stung my eyes. A photo of my parents had been placed on the table. My chest throbbed painfully. It felt like someone was hammering burning hot needles into my heart.

I reached out to hold Aunt Sharon steady. My throat caught. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth.

"Alicia has an urgent mission to complete. She'll be back once the mission is over…"

"At your dad's funeral, she vowed to devote her life to repaying the debt she owed the Kane family," Aunt Sharon cried out emotionally.

Five years ago, a raging fire occurred, one that filled half the sky with smoke.

Dad had already withdrawn to safety, but when the authorities were checking to see who'd made it out, he realized Alicia Carter was nowhere to be found.

He dashed through the fleeing crowd and went back into the burning building to save the unconscious Alicia, shielding her with his own body. When a steel beam came crashing down, he bore the crushing weight alone and ended up dying in the fire.

During Dad's funeral, Alicia had cried until her throat started to bleed. She almost fainted from the grief.

But now, she'd specifically gone to meet Randall Larkin, her childhood friend, just to help him save the 100 dollars he would've had to spend on a cab.

In the hall, I continued to stare at the urn. My last memories of Mom kept replaying in my mind. Before we left, we'd both been thrilled that the family would finally be reunited.

Just a few days ago, Mom had held my hand and told me how this was going to be her first trip abroad.

Countless memories kept flooding through my head.

It finally hit me that I'd lost both my parents. I no longer had a family.

The last of the strength that had kept me going thus far crumbled at last. I clutched Mom's portrait and sobbed like a child.

Sitting in the empty hall, I got my phone out. My finger hovered over Alicia's name, but I couldn't bring myself to tap it.

After much hesitation, I checked her social media account instead. Her latest Instagram post was almost unbearable for me to see.

She'd posted a selfie she'd taken at the airport. She was smiling brightly, and I could vaguely detect a man's silhouette in the background.

The caption read, "You're finally here."