The Game Changer

Prologue

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Prologue

"Okay, who gets the last slice?" Sunny asked. She looked around the booth and saw all 5 of her friends slumped and very full. "Take it! Just take it, I'll give you two bucks," Tyrone groaned.

"No problemo," a brave soul said.

"What the hell, Rissey? How could you stay thin and still eat like a pig?" Vicky complained.

"Three words, my dear: I. Don't. Care.," she replied before happily taking a bite of pizza. "Oh, wait hold on," Rissey said as she reached for her phone in her pocket. "Shh! Seriously, I'll kill you guys," she warned. Her friends snickered and started shouting "Pass the weed!" and "Go on, Rissey! Strip!" Rissey tried kicking their legs under the table while trying to keep a serious face on. Upon checking the caller I.D., she was baffled." Why is Aunt Clara calling me in the middle of the night?" she thought.

"Hello?" she said, trying to muffle a laugh as Tyrone was trying to burp the alphabet.

"Rissey, there's been an accident," was all Rissey heard. Next thing she knew, she was rushing out of the pizza place, frantically trying to hail a cab. It was like her entire world was in slow motion, like every moment of her childhood was flashing before her eyes. At that moment, she swore she could hear her heart beat. After barely being able to give the cab driver directions to their destination, she sank into her seat. She couldn't cry, not really. She just stared and watch as images from her past danced in front of her eyes - memories of Lily tucking her in and Mike chasing her around their yard with the sprinklers on. She remembered every fever soothed, every movie, every story read, every birthday cake Lily baked for her. She remembered Mike patiently teaching her how to drive and helping her fill her bedroom ceiling with glow-in-the dark stars because she was terrified of the dark. "So you'll remember that even in darkness, there's light," he once told her. She was too young to understand then, but as she grew older, she used it as her mantra. She remembered everything there was to remember about her happy childhood. She didn't live a luxurious life, but she was happy – they were happy.

As they were nearing the hospital, one particular memory played in Rissey's mind."We need to talk to you, sweetie," Lily told her one night. Rissey didn't understand why her mother was nervous and her father was scared. They looked like what they were about to say would break Rissey like she was made of glass.

"What is it mom?" she asked, suddenly sharing in her parents' nervousness.

They decided it wasn't something they could keep from her forever. She was old enough to know. They had to tell her. Once the words were out, they held their breaths. They just told their only daughter that she was adopted, that Lily could not bear children. Rissey, tears streaming down her cheeks, got up and made her way to her room. After shutting the door, she collapsed and cried her heart out until she fell asleep.

When Lily and Mike woke up the next day, the smell of waffles and coffee enveloped their home. As they walked into their kitchen, they saw their daughter smiling at them. "Thank you, mom and dad," she said before running to them and hugging them both.

As soon as the cab stopped in front of the hospital, she paid the driver and dashed to the emergency room. She caught up with them, just as the stretcher was being pushed through one of the operating rooms. She saw Lily first. She ran to her and grabbed her hand.

"Mom," was all she managed to say. She was sobbing intensely.

"Live your dreams. Find her," Lily whispered. "I love you, Rissey."

That was the last time they spoke.

She was angry. A careless and drunk driver took her parents from her in the blink of an eye. She was alone all over again. In the midst of her anger and loneliness, she thought of her mother's last words.

"Live your dreams. Find her."