Excerpt: Jackpot!

It took Cecelia a minute to figure out how she was supposed to check the winning lottery numbers. Then she found the website that offered the drawing video of that night picks. She clicked it, and waited patiently for it to load on her screen.

When it finally popped on; a scantily clad blond woman stood next to a clear contraption in which numbered balls floated through a constantly flowing stream of air with in. The woman smiled hollowly as a male voice over announced her.

“This is the drawing for the Mega Millions 242 million dollar jackpot,” he said.

“The first number is,” she said, pushing a red button on the base. A ball shot up through the first of six clear tubes. “Twenty four.”

Cecelia had a twenty four!

“The second number is... sixteen.”

She had that too. What were the odds?

“The third number,” another push of the button, “is three.”

Cecelia was beginning to feel astonished. She had a three as well. The fourth number, a twenty nine, she also had. She was barely clinging to her seat by the time the last two numbers were read.

“The fifth pick is the number thirty three,” the woman read.

Cecelia was on her feet now. All that was left was the bonus ball, and even without it she had at least won some money. But the next moments would change her life forever.

“And the Mega Millions Bonus Ball is!” The woman waited a moment to push the button, and when she finally did Cecelia felt as if the bottom of her stomach had fallen out. “The number seven.”

For thirty seconds Cecelia stood frozen, the ticket partially crumpled in her left hand. The screen was now paused to show the six winning numbers. The same six numbers from the fortune cookie slip she had reluctantly handed the clerk.

And then she screamed. A shout of shock and delight.

Donovan came skidding into the room, a combat raised high as if it was a weapon.

“What is it?” he asked frantically. “What's wrong?”

“I think I just won the lottery,” she said, brandishing the ticket at him. “Two hundred and forty two freaking million dollars!”