Jake placed his mother in a nursing home and sold her house when she got too old and forgot about her until it was time to get his inheritance. But his mother gave everything to a stranger, and Jake has to find a way to get it back.
“I’m glad you could make it, Jake,” Mr. Thompson shook Jake’s hand and sat across from him.
“So what’s the deal, Mr. Thompson?” Jake anxiously shifted in his seat. “I’m hoping the will is going to be pretty straightforward as I expect Mom’s assets are going to be mine.”
Mr. Thompson sighed and clasped his hands on the table. “I’m afraid that’s not the case here, Jake,” he said. “I do understand your expectations, and that’s the reason I thought it was better to discuss this in person. Your mother’s will is quite…unusual. And she demanded that you know about it.”
“What? What do you mean?” Jake’s body stiffened.
“Well,” sighed the lawyer. “She has decided to leave her entire fortune to a foundation dedicated to psychiatry, making Mrs. McKinsey the trustee of her money. Here,” Mr. Thompson showed him the will.
Jake’s eyes widened as he read the document. “Are you kidding me? Who is this Mrs. McKinsey woman? I’ve never heard Mom even mention her!”
“Mrs. McKinsey is the daughter of your mother’s old neighbor and a doctor at a psychiatric hospital, but I don’t know why she came to this decision.”
Jake’s phone rang, but he ignored the incoming call to keep talking to the lawyer. The calls continued until a message flashed across the screen: “If you don’t pay the money back in 72 hours, you are dead! Time is running out, loser!”
Jake insulted and screamed at the lawyer for his incompetence and slammed the door on his way out. He ran to his car, did a quick internet search on his phone, and drove directly to the Denver Psychiatric Hospital to see Mrs. McKinsey, the chief neurologist. Her first name was Sarah.
“I’m Jake, Rose’s son,” Jake said, shaking her hand tightly.
“Oh, I see. I think I know why you’re here, Jake,” Sarah nodded.
“Well, I’m glad you know,” he quipped.
“It’s only natural that your mother’s decision angers you,” the doctor began. “But you should know you have an older brother, Jake. He has autism. Your mother just wanted to ensure his well-being and safety.”
“What are you talking about? I’m an only child!”
“We’ve been treating him here for the last 25 years,” Sarah said seriously. “Ever since he accidentally poured scalding water on you when you were just a year old.”
Jake exclaimed several expletives and processed the information, quickly coming up with a solution. “I don’t care what you do with him, but I want half the money. My share,” he proposed.
“Sorry, Jake, but that’s not possible,” the doctor shook her head. “The funds were assigned for your brother’s treatment and support. There’s nothing I can do to change that.”
Jake got even angrier at the calm response from Sarah and threw a bigger tantrum than the one in the lawyer’s office, threatening to sue.
He fumed in the parking lot, not so much at the doctor but at his mother, who had done this on purpose because he sold her house, put her in a nursing home, and never looked back.
But all those thoughts disappeared when he reached his convertible. A man was examining it too closely.
“Arnie drove this car,” the man said, turning to Jake. “Every Saturday, when Arnie’s Mom visited him, she’d let Arnie see this car.”
Jake’s heart skipped a beat as he realized who the man in the car was.
“What was Arnie’s mother’s name?” Jake asked.
“Arnie’s Mom is Rose. Rose.”
Jake was shocked by this meeting presented an opportunity.
“Let’s go for a drive, Arnie. It would be fun!” Jake forced a smile.
“Really?” he asked, but quickly nodded and got in the passenger seat.
After a while, his phone buzzed. It was Sarah, so they had seen Jake taking Arnie through the parking lot’s CCTV.
“What is wrong with you, Jake? Bring Arnie back!” the doctor almost exploded. “Arnie sometimes experiences panic attacks and could easily injure himself or others. Just bring him back.”
“C’mon, Sarah, you can do better than this,” he laughed. “If you’re so worried about the fool, take up my offer, and we can divide Mom’s assets fairly. Otherwise, I’ll get him to live with me, and the money will be all mine. Bye!”
They pulled up near a gas station, and Jake went to pay the cashier.
“Arnie should get back two dollars and 85 cents. $2.85!” his brother said.
“Well, looks like you’re faster than my machine!” grinned the cashier.
“Arnie is happy! Arnie is a genius! Genius,” Arnie exclaimed as he knocked an open pack of toothpicks to the floor. His face changed, filling with anxiety. “No! No! No! Arnie dropped 92 toothpicks!”
“Wow,” Jake realized how quickly his brother could count. “You know what, I’ll have a pack of playing cards too.”They left the store, returned to the car, and Jake told Arnie they would test his memory and counting skills. He showed him the cards, made him memorize each, and taught him about Blackjack.
“Arnie, this is getting pretty impressive,” Jake commented. Arnie clapped excitedly. “Hey, buddy. Let’s go to a place where we could use this gift you have and make crazy money, alright?”
Hours later, they were at a Blackjack table in a casino.
“Alright, Arnie, remember what we talked about in the car,” Jake whispered to Arnie. “You make your calculations or whatever you do, and then you quietly tell me what move I must make.”
“Win big…move. Yes, Arnie remembers.”
“Great. Now focus.”
Jake played according to Arnie’s suggestions and won hand after hand. Arnie’s abilities shocked everyone at the casino, which invited suspicious stares from some onlookers. Still, they amassed a whopping sum of $100,000.
Once again, Jake noticed people staring suspiciously at them as he ran his eyes across the table. Some were whispering behind their backs, and it wasn’t limited to the people around them. The casino staff had also grown weary.
Jake couldn’t afford any trouble, so he had to exit. “Arnie, it’s time to cash out. We’ve had a lot of fun here, but it’s time to go.”
“Cash out…Time to leave. Arnie understands.”
They got their winnings and left. “Arnie, you nailed it! Let’s get a beer together!”
They went to a bar nearby and celebrated their winnings in a corner booth. A woman unexpectedly and boldly joined them.
“Well, you two looked too secluded,” she seductively ran her fingers over Jake’s shoulder, then sat beside Arnie. “So, what are we celebrating here?”
Arnie shifted away from the woman, his gaze fixed on her. “Arnie and Jake—””Uh, Arnie, it’s okay,” Jake said. “Nothing big. We just got lucky at a game earlier and thought of having fun. It’s even better now that we’ve caught the attention of a gorgeous lady.”
“Pretty…says Arnie. Pretty.”
“I’m flattered…and I’d be delighted to join. I’m Samantha,” she said.
“I’m Jake, and that’s my brother, Arnie.”
Samantha continued flirting, then offered to get them drinks.
“Don’t move, handsome,” she kissed Arnie’s cheek before walking to the counter.”Looks like someone’s in love,” Jake joked as he sipped his drink. “Hey, Arnie, have you ever dated someone?”
Arnie shook his head.
“What? Never? It may be time to change that, okay?”
“Change? Arnie wants a change. Does Jake want a change?” asked Arnie.
“Uh, for now, I want you to experience life, Arnie,” Jake commented after a deep introspection about his own sad life. “I’m gonna arrange your first date ever! You can thank me later, buddy.”
He left the booth and went to Samantha, offering her $6,000 for a night with Arnie. She agreed after some back and forth.
“Arnie nervous…Arnie wants Jake to stay,” Arnie said outside the hotel room.
“Uh, don’t worry, Arnie. I’ll be right outside in the hallway,” Jake encouraged.
Jake dozed off on a nearby couch and was woken a half hour later by a man screaming in Arnie and Samantha’s room. He rushed inside and saw a tall man aiming his shotgun at a mumbling Arnie.
Samantha lay on the bed, terrified. Jake ran across the room to shield Arnie. “What the hell is going on here? Point that gun away!” he yelled.”How dare he sleep with my wife, huh?! And who are you?” The man aimed at Jake, then at Samantha.
“Honey, please, calm down,” she begged.
“Man, we didn’t mean you any harm. Let’s talk this through.”
“Jake, you can pay him off!” Samantha turned to Jake, who nodded.
“OK, take the money, but don’t harm anyone, alright? Please.”
“Place that bag on the bed!” he screamed, getting scarier.
Arnie suddenly grabbed his head and began howling. “Arnie doesn’t want to be here! Bad people. Pain. Hurting.” He banged his head on the wall, dashed to the window, and swung it open.”God, no! Arnie!” Jake dragged his brother into the room at the last second, pressing his body weight against the carpet and waiting for Arnie to calm down in his grasp.”Oh, God, I’m so sorry, Arnie. Please. Please, relax,” Jake was in tears.
His brother finally relaxed, but when Jake looked up, Samantha and the man were gone with all their money.
“Arnie, they took it all—every last penny. We’ve been duped,” Jake sighed, disappointed.
Jake returned Arnie to the hospital, feeling terrible about this whole day. But he enjoyed meeting and hanging with Arnie.
“It was fun having you around, Arnie. And I’m sorry for all the problems I caused,” Jake whispered as he turned around to leave, not knowing how he would his creditors.Sarah came running to them. Jake didn’t have any fight in him left.
“You’d never get his custody because of the kind of prank you pulled on your own autistic brother, Jake, by kidnapping him from the hospital,” Sarah said. “But I’m willing to help you.”
“Why?”
“Because you would’ve never brought Arnie back here if you didn’t prioritize your brother’s well-being over your needs,” she said, giving a check she had in her pocket.Sarah came running to them. Jake didn’t have any fight in him left.
“You’d never get his custody because of the kind of prank you pulled on your own autistic brother, Jake, by kidnapping him from the hospital,” Sarah said. “But I’m willing to help you.”
“Why?”
“Because you would’ve never brought Arnie back here if you didn’t prioritize your brother’s well-being over your needs,” she said, giving a check she had in her pocket.”Oh, God. Thank you, Sarah. I didn’t expect this.”
The amount was enough to cover his debt.
“Can I come and visit Arnie?” he asked.
“Anytime.”