From the Heart

Chapter II

Bailey stayed a statue after Mr. and Mrs. Carson's departure. She eyed the sack. She knew she wanted to open the bag, yet she was afraid of the feelings the sack held. Eventually, Bailey got the courage to set her hands on the gift. It took another ounce of courage to open it and dump the contents out. Folded money fell out; the amount was still not disclosed. A folded piece of paper fell out, too. She decided to unfold the cash. After counting, she was holding two-thousand dollars. It took her a double-take to register how much money she was in possession of. Her heart was racing from nervousness and discomfort. Bailey set the money aside and unfolded the piece of paper. It was a final message from Maggie.

To my dearest friend,

This money is reimbursement. You spent your money and time on me; just to make me feel like an average person. To you, I wasn't different or sick. A hospital is a gloomy place. Well, half the time you were at the hospital to care and visit either your father or brother. But, the rest of the time, you chose to be at the hospital to make my day brighter. On a side note, I know you won't accept the money. It's because of your damn pride! I know you can make a difference, just like you made a difference in my life. It comes from the beautiful heart, soul, and mind you possess (P.S., my eyes are watering). Take everything we have discussed since I told you I was choosing not to receive a transplant as a platform to start making your difference. Also, use the money to help you make your difference. Just don't use the money for all the changes and differences you make. I know you don't completely believe money fixes everything. I know you have ideas to help you make changes. Use them! On another note, all I ask of you is you don't take my death and sink with it! You're strong! I have been your strength; let me continue being your strength. Use that strength to pull through. I'm not saying you won't have falls; I just want you to use that strength to get back up. Find some happiness and balance. I love you!

~Maggie Jane Carson~

Birth: May 4th, 1995 (Four days after my best friend's birth)

Death:

Bailey saw that her death date was blank. So, she decided to fill it in, June 11th, 2011. Afterward, Bailey laid the letter down next to the money. Bailey went back and forth, looking at the letter and money. She was fidgeting from confusion and amazement.

Matthew rolled up next to his daughter. "Wow, that's a lot of money?!" "It's from Maggie," Bailey was very distraught. "What are you going to do with it?" "Maggie wants me to use it to make a difference." "Well, she chose the right girl to make a difference." Matthew gave her a pat on the back. "What do you want to do with the money?" Matthew asked, seriously, and supportively. "I want to help people like Maggie. Help those people pay for hospital expenses. Give them hope about getting better. With this amount of money, I can only help one person. I want to help more than one person." "To help more people, you need money to give. You need a continuous flow of cash. You need donors. It sounds like you want to start a Foundation." "I do. But, I would feel weird accepting money from strangers and not giving them something in return. Also, the donors should know and understand what they are giving money for. Donors should know they are making a difference." "This Foundation will be yours. That means you can run it the way you want. Don't accept money from donors until you get a little bit of background. Give donors something in return." Bailey gave a smile, yet she seemed dissatisfied.

' "Money will not heal all the wounds these people are suffering," Bailey proclaimed. "You're right. I lost the ability to walk at six years old. I was in a car accident, and the crash shattered my LI in my spine. I also had nerve damage." Matthew sighed before continuing, "My parents had the money. My parents paid for all the medication that eased my pain. But, they couldn't pay for a surgery that would give me the ability to walk and feel my lower body. No surgery would have fixed me. Your brother is another example, your mother and I can pay for all the treatments, but he still has the injury. Money can't rewind the clock for a better time. There are a lot of mental wounds. After my accident, I was in a hospital for four months. Doctors were only concerned about my injury. My parents were distracted by worry. I didn't have friends, who visited me. I was alone and fell into a depression. Luckily, your grandfather, at the time, my doctor, stopped being my doctor for a moment. He became a friend. He asked his daughter to hang out with me. His daughter agreed, and the daughter became my best friend. She brought me out of my depression. I wasn't alone. I was so worried my injury would make me a freak. But, my best friend treated me and looked at me like I was normal. And it was the best feeling." "Then, you fell in love with your best friend and married her." "And adopted two magnificent kids! Your mother and I didn't admit our feelings and date until we were sixteen. My point, people like Maggie, and I just wanted the treatment of normality. We needed a friend that takes us away, may it be mentally or physically, from the hospital and treatments." "I hope I did that for Maggie," Bailey said softly. "You did. Other qualities this friend needs to have are being a good listener, encourager, and confident booster. Both you and your mother have those qualities." Matthew proudly exclaimed. "I want to connect and be that friend for the people I help. I want to heal all wounds." Matthew gave a gigantic, proud smile. "You know it's because of your mother that I felt like I could be a doctor. It's because of your grandfather's simple, kind gesture that made me want to be a friend, sometimes, with my patients." Matthew whispered.