Debt

Prologue: Done Wrong

"I need assurance you'll pay me back. Put something up for collateral," the young man demanded.

Rafael stroked his graying hair forward, his eyes moist, and his forehead wrinkled. "My car," he offered. It was the only thing he could think of giving up.

The young man laughed and leaned forward. "Now, one of us is stupid," he said in a low, almost soothing voice. "I need something that means a lot to you. Something you wouldn't be so quick to give away. I need assurance that I will get my money back. You understand, of course."

"I don't have nothing else," Rafael pleaded.

He had lost his job and his home was going into foreclosure. His nearly thirteen-year old daughter was the only child left in the house, and he wanted her to have the childhood her older brothers got to have.

"You have something else, Rafael," the man cooed.

"I have nothing."

"You have a daughter," he said briskly. "One little girl. And if I don't get my money when I'm supposed to, we'll see how beautiful she becomes in the next five years. Pray for an ugly duckling. Because if she's pretty, I'm taking her."

"I'll give you anything else," Rafael pleaded, shaking his head no. "Anything but my little girl."

"She's the most valuable thing you have to your name. Your wife is old, and we have enough men around here. So if you want to keep that little girl, I better get my money back, Rafael."

Rafael nodded fervently. He would pay it back. He couldn't afford to lose his little princess. And he signed the contract, putting his daughter up as collateral.

As soon as he got home, he took Abrielle in his arms and hugged her as tightly as he could, kissing her head. "I love you so much, Bri," he whispered.

She hugged him back. "I love you too, Daddy," she told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek and a smile, no clue what he had done to her future.