Counting Stars

As I drove down the road, my car began skipping a beat. "Dam.." I screamed out in frustration, "what's wrong mummy" said the soft voice of my 9 year old daughter, Kiara. "It's ok Kiara, mummy will sort it out.

I pulled up out the front of my daughter school, lots of kids running in to the school. Kiara opened her door to the car. She paused and said "oh mum I need that $10 for the excursion on Friday" I grabbed my wallet from the passages seat opened it. There was a $10 note and a $5. " Can we pay that on Thursday?" "No mum today is the last day" I reached into my wallet and grabbed the $10 note and handed it to her "thanks mumma, love you" "love you sweetheart" she jumped out and threw her torn backpack in her back.

I pulled into the car park of the supermarket. I counted my change as I walked in the supermarket. "I have enough for milk and bread" I mumbled to my self. I walked past the newsagents and saw a massive sign that read "30 million this Tuesday" "if only I afford a ticket I mumbled to myself as I walked in and purchased my milk and bread and headed back towards my car.

As I was heading to my car I tripped and feel to the ground.. "OWwww" the coins in my purse went flying everywhere. I pulled my self up off the ground and placed the milk and bread beside me and picked my wallet up off the ground and began searching for my coins. "Are you ok?" I looked up and saw a man in a suit holding his hand out to me. I grabbed his hand and stood to my feet. He bent down and grabbed my milk and bread and handed it to me. "Thanks" I said in a bashful voice. As I grabbed the milk I realised there was some kind of receipt stuck to the bottom, the man walked towards the supermarket and I yelled out "is this yours" as I removed the paper from my milk he turned and looked and shook his head to say no.. I turned the paper over and it was a lotteries ticket. "I should take it to the newsagents" I headed to the newsagent. I approached the desk and before I could say anything the cashier took the ticket and scanned it... Bells began ringing. I looked around wondering what was going on!

"Wow.. you have won $16million" "it's not my ticket" I said in a disappointed tone. "Whose is it?" The cashier asked "I have no idea, I found it in the car park!" The cashier typed something on the computer and as I went to walk away the cashier yelled out "WAIT!" I turned back, "it's not my ticket" I quickly said. "It's not registered. If you don't claim it no one will!"

Still in a state of shock I stood in front of the cashier. "Only if you let me give you some of the money?" The cashier's face went as white as a ghost and she quickly replied "oh wow. Thankyou" she picked up the phone and made a phone call...

.....2 months later...

Standing in the line of the bank I had never felt more great full in my life. I had been planning what I was going to do with the money for months now, but first I had an important thing to do.

Walking to the newsagent, the money was finally in my bank but I did have a little guilt for the person who originally brought the ticket.

I walked in to the cashier that had served me 2 months ago. I handed her a piece of paper and she went to put it in the ticket machine before realising it was a check. "Oh my god..." Before she could say another word I quickly walked out. As I walked to the car I could still hear her screaming with excitement. It brought a smile to my face.

I drove my breaking down car to my next destination...

Walking around the car yard I looked at the prices on the windscreens. A business man walked up and said "can I help you today" I thought for a moment and said "I'm not sure what I want" he smirked and said "we could start with a budget?" He looked smug as he looked at my car in the car park. "No budget, but I want to pick what's right for me and I want it today!" He looked me up and down and said finance can take up to 2 weeks to be approved!" I glared at him and then replied "I won't be needing finance" I replied with an attitude in my voice. "Then let me show you our range" I thought for a second and then said "I'd like to have that woman over there serve me!" He looked towards the lady sitting slumped over her desk and shrugged. "I'll get her for you then!" He began speaking to her and she sat up straight, stood from her desk and walked over to me, "how may I help you?" " I'm hoping you can point me in the direction of a good car" I replied, "I can surely do that for you"...

1 month later.....

"Where are we going today mummy? Kiara asked, "our new home sweetheart.

Driving into the driveway of our new home was an incredible feeling. Kiara and I jumped out of the car and Kiara ran to the front door. It was by far the nicest house I had ever seen let alone owned. I put the key into the door and turned it. Kiara ran through as I stood there staring at my our new home and a tear ran down my face. The sound of serval trucks pulling up to the house distributed my thoughts and I spun around.

As the men brought each new item of furniture through I directed them where I'd like each item.

6months later....

I sat at my kitchen bench on my computer searching holidays when there was a knock at my door. I got up and answered it.. it was the lady who sold me my car standing with a bunch of flowers "happy birthday!" "Aww your so sweet, come in" she handed me the flowers and removed her shoes and followed me to the kitchen.

She sat at the kitchen bench as I put the flowers in a vase she said "I have taken some time off work and have decided to go on a holiday with the money you gave me and I'd like you and Kiara to come with me" "sounds lovely Ashley I was just looking up holiday's."

2 months later. As we sat on our beach chairs with our big over sized hats watching Kiara play in the sand Ashley said "you should write a story about your win" I smirked and said "a rags to riches?" She put her glass up as did I and we clinked them together and we both giggled..

The End...and the beginning