Open: Money makes the world go 'round.

[gav_7]

How much is three million dollars? I understand it is a lot, but I have no point of reference to deal with this sum of money. I do not know what to do with this amount of money, and I do not know how I am meant to react to it

Comments

[light_in_sound]

"Three million is... not the largest sum of money to be had. But, it is significant. Someone who isn't prone to spending a great deal could live on that sum pretty comfortably and not have to work for his living."

"Nobody can tell you how to react to it. Emotions are weird things and nobody really knows how they'll react to something until it actually happens. And few people react the same, even in the same situations."

She raises an eyebrow and tips her head to the side. "Who left you three million dollars?"

[gav_7]

"Oh." He so doesn't get it still.

"Tom did. I do not know why."

[light_in_sound]

She can tell he's still not quite clear. "What I mean is that it is a sizable sum of money. Most average people will never have that much money at once in their entire lifespan. If you're not wasteful with it, you and Ric could live comfortably on it for many, many years and not have to work. You won't have to hold down a job just to see that your bills are paid and you have food on the table."

She blinks in disbelief, but doesn't comment about Tom. "He must have cared about you."

[gav_7]

"I understand." As much as he's going to. "We do not purchase much aside from necessities." Their necessities list might be a bit different from most people's though.

"I- guess he did." He hadn't thought of it that way. "I did not know he had left me anything. He said he planned on making sure I got something, but I did not believe he would get around to organising such."

[light_in_sound]

"A lot of people, when they come into a large sum of money unexpectedly, blow it on inconsequential things. The smart ones make good use of it. Invest it, put it into savings, buy a home, set up college funds for their children if they have or want children." She shrugs. It's been a long time since she's seen a large sum of money and probably blew it when she had it. Motorcycles weren't cheap.

"It sounds like he cared. He seems to have wanted you provided for."

[gav_7]

He's quiet for a bit, thinking about the things that they couldn't quite justify buying that would make life a lot easier. Like a decent microwave. Or a decent motorbike, their's had seen much better days.

"I will need to speak to some kind of financial expert? Or will Ric be able to manage it? It was left to the both of us, which surprises me. Tom did not like Ric. He once expressed that he wished I would find someone different to commit myself too. Only once though."

Compared to Spiral, who has made it a litany.

[light_in_sound]

"If Ric wants to try and handle it, there's not reason not to let him. I would suggest getting the advice of a financial consultant, even if you don't use it. That can be an overwhelming amount of money to try and deal with if you've neevr had that much before."

[gav_7]

"... Everything I own fits in a single duffle bag."

It's the best way of expressing how much this sum of money can't mean to him.

"Ric lost everything when his family abandoned him as a child. Neither of us are accustomed to material wealth."

[light_in_sound]

"Definitely talk to someone who knows money, then."

"It isn't about being 'wealthy' or a rich big shot. It's more about living comfortably. Having the means to care for the people you love and not working yourself into the ground for the rest of your life. And then, someday, pass it on to someone else who needs it when you're gone."

[gav_7]

Star stares blankly. "Is it not better to enjoy what you have, while you have it, even if you do not leave much to be passed on afterwards?"

[light_in_sound]

She chuckles at herself. "I have to stop thinking of things in terms of children, I guess. I'm pre-disposed to planning for legacies that I'll probably never have to worry about." Shrugs.

"Yes, you should enjoy what you have. But, there's a fine line between enjoying and being wasteful. This is just a very good chance for you to get a good, solid foundation under your feet and be comfortable and happy for a good long time. I'd like to see that happen."

[gav_7]

"Ric and I will not be having, adopting, fostering, or in other ways adding children to our family. If nothing else, we are both only twenty two." Or close enough to not matter.

"We are not wasteful, nor will we become so."

[light_in_sound]

"That isn't what I meant." She sighs and rubs her eyes. "Nevermind that anyway. It's not a healthy subject for me to be putting a whole lot of thought into anyway. I just meant family or people you care about."

"I'm not trying to offend you. Of course, you aren't wasteful."

[gav_7]

"Ah." He nods slowly. "Very well."

He's still being a little too quiet, even for Star. "I know most people did not like him, but he was good to me."

[light_in_sound]

She squeezes his shoulder and rubs it absently as she talks. "Ultimately, it doesn't matter how everyone else felt about him. When someone dies, what you feel is personal. Nobody gets to tell you what it should or shouldn't be."

She doesn't make any mention of her own feelings about Tom. It's not an issue here.

[gav_7]

"Many of the Cadre and Freed died. I cancelled many myself. I felt nothing. Tom's death makes me feel angry." He still has that softly confused look. "Kain was meant to be looking after him."