Angel was sure in that moment her brothers knew why she’d wanted them to know how to tell when they were being lied too. Amanda invited them to come meet her friends, the people from her dorm.
They quickly discarded the remnants of their lunch and followed Amanda to an area out on the green where about ten people sat, it was a mixture of males and females. When they arrived, everyone looked at Amanda oddly and she said “This is friends of my family, my sister actually works for Angel. This is her two brothers Jackson and Kaleb.” One of the younger girls pointed at Angel and said, “Wait I know you...” at Angel’s curious look she pointed to her Magazine which was on photography and said, “Your picture is in here.” Angel looked at Kaleb and asked, “Was it published already?” Kaleb shrugged and said “I sent the verification for it by email then we went to Paris.
Which reminds me I need to send Jacques a bigger sample of my portfolio.” The girl was staring at Kaleb wide eyed, as she said, “Your Kaleb Montgomery?” at his nod she said in a whisper “No way, are you serious?” when he just laughed and she responded saying “I’m Sophia, I’m here taking photography too.” Kaleb nodded and said, “I mostly use my studio for my photography editing and so forth, but I tend to get the best shots when my sisters not paying attention.” Sophia’s eyes grew and she said “She’s your sister? No way, I for sure thought she was a model.” Angel laughed and said honestly “Nope, only plain old me.
My brother caught me coming out of the surf in the Maldives. You should see some of the shots he took in Paris.” Amanda asked, “How was that trip to Paris, I remember once taking it with my grandmother and your grandmother went as well, those two women shopped the place out.” Angel nodded and replied “True fact. We thought for sure she’d go broke before we boarded the jet back home.” Amanda laughed and said, “Next trip you take let me know, I might just tag along.” Angel nodded and responded “That’s a done deal, now if we could just get Damon to sit still long enough to go; now that’d be a fun trip.
No matter how stressing things get he keeps me and dad on our toes, you all are lucky to have him.” Amanda nodded and replied “Yes, we are. He’s always there for his sister too which makes him an even better man in my book.”
Angel glanced at her brothers and asked, “What’s your next classes?” Devon and Trey followed her eyes and Jackson said, “I have an English Lit class next.” Kaleb smiled and said, “I have an Intro to Photography class next.” This was said with a huge smile because lord knew he didn’t need the class. Sophia squealed and said “Oh, I have that class too.” Amanda turned to Angel and asked, “What about you?” Angel looked at her schedule not that she needed too she knew the answer and replied, “Intro to Law.” One of the girls apparently didn’t like not being center of attention because she said, “You are pre-law?” Angel shook her head and replied “No, I’m going for Criminology, not a law degree. Though I could take the bar exam today and pass the test.” The girl was steaming then as she said, “You’re saying the law exam is easy?” Angel replied “No I’m saying the LSAT is I got a perfect score. As for the bar exam it wouldn’t be much of a challenge considering anything I’ve ever read I remember verbatim.” Amanda nodded and said, “I can attest to that, Angel is a certified genius, I think Damon said your IQ is like 190.” The eyes of the other kids were huge and unfocused.
The blonde male asked, “Why are you even in college if you can finish it so quickly?” Angel replied honestly “Because the degrees I plan to have will help me with my endeavor to help those who need it. I have businesses, and homes, and cars, and other things, everything I could ever possibly need. Now I am helping others get to where they want to be, I help an outreach in California that sponsors kids, and even supply scholarships to kids who need it to complete school.” One of the girls said, “Where was you when I was racking up two - hundred grand in debt going to med school.” Angel smiled and said, “I tell you what, what’s your specialty that you’re focusing on?” The girl looked wary and said “Pediatrics.” Angel nodded and said “In the future not anytime soon, I’ll be opening a free clinic that will have good doctors. Not rushed doctors but, doctors who actually take the time to diagnos their patients. If I do, will you be one of those volunteer doctors when you’re not on your job?” the girl asked curiously “Are you serious?” Angel handed her a business card and said “That’s my number you think about it, and if you think you can do it justice. I’ll setup a scholarship that will cover the rest of your tuition and cover all your student loans.”
Angel wrote her attorney’s number on the back of the card and said, “That’s my attorney Hannah, she will setup a contract all you have to do is sign and she will handle paying off your loans and your tuitions hence forth.” The girl stared and finally said “You don’t even know my name.” Angel replied honestly “I don’t have to know your name. Medical school takes commitment, first you have to, go pre-med, and then to medical school, the hours you put in are killer. Anyone with that much dedication to what they’re doing is a safe bet.” The girl just nodded and said, “My name is Sarah, Sarah Morris.” She paused and then asked, “Are you going to have full time doctors at this clinic of yours?” Angel seemed to consider it and said “Most likely yes, there will more than likely be three full time doctors on staff who receive a salary. While we accept volunteers to help out.” Sarah nodded and said, “I will think about what you’ve said and call you with my decision.”
Angel smiled and excused herself she needed to get to her class. She knew that when she talked to people especially people closer to her own age their immediate reaction to her was “how could she possibly know anything about my life?”
But most didn’t know or take into, account that just two months ago she was in worse shape than they were. Two months ago, she couldn’t have afforded college, she didn’t come from a safe, middle class family, and she wasn’t some angsty teenager trying to get back at the world. She’d been one of those kids who were on the streets trying to hustle and make a living any way she could. Yea her life hadn’t been ideal, but that life had led her here, to this moment, and if her life had taught her anything, it was that all the moments added together is what defined your life. It wasn’t the outtakes on the good things you did; it was what you consistently did that made you. These kids could balk and fight the system they were raised in all they wanted, in order to make the change you had to be willing to put yourself out there. Angel would make a difference if she had to give away every dime, she had to do it.
Her next three classes went pretty much as she’d figured they would, she was rather anonymous unless one of the students or a professor recognized her. That did happen a couple times, while the professors were more circumspect, the students pointed and whispered loudly. She didn’t let it get to her, while she was in her class, she kept meticulous notes on her laptop, not that she’d need to reread them but, she didn’t want her professors thinking she intended to coast through their classes.
Her brothers met her out on the concourse after her last class for that afternoon. She had a class at night that evening but, it didn’t start until seven, so she had a three-hour break between classes. She had forgotten that her brothers had doubled up on their classes as well and each had a class at the same time. She suggested they return to the ranch have dinner then she could drive them back for their evening class.
That plan was derailed when they arrived at the ranch because Grant vetoed it according to him having his men there during the day was a deterrent, but they couldn’t go in tonight alone. He insisted on driving the Escalade and he would escort her to her class while Devon and Trey would escort her brothers. Her class that evening was a business class on finance, of course the professor would recognize her. He decided to make an example of her in the lecture hall, he said “I don’t know how many of our students are aware, but we have in our midst the perfect example of business finance and how it works. We have Angel Denae McDaniel’s in our class today. For those who don’t know who she is simply by the last name. Angel is the owner of several multi-million dollar corporations, and if my sources are correct investments in the billions of dollars. She owns and operates a thoroughbred horse ranch and Hope House Ranch and has various other business interests, Am I correct Miss. McDaniel’s?” Angel looked at him curiously before responding “Not entirely no.” At his stunned look she continued “Yes I have business interest in a wide variety and range throughout the world. I have investments the total of which I will not disclose, but the companies I own are co-owned with my brothers, minus the Rehab center and Kingsley International. Sir, if you thought to put me on the defensive you completely thought wrong. As the saying goes, some teach… and some do.” Clearly, she’d embarrassed him, but the fact he’d tried to put her on display had irked her. She didn’t have to glance around to know that several were staring at her in stunned disbelief and others in horror or fascination. When the lecture was over, she approached the professor and said, “I don’t air out your portfolio for the whole world’s edification, and I’d appreciate you not sharing mine.” On those words she exited the room and practically ran into Grant who was standing in the doorway. She knew he had noticed her stopping to talk to the professor and was curious as to why but, at the moment she just didn’t have it in her to get into it.
When she got home that night after she finished her assignments she walked out on to her balcony and decided to call Damon. While she could call her dad and explain things to him, she just really wanted to talk to someone who was completely impartial. She’d only ever had one person like that in her life, and when he’d joined the military, they’d drifted apart. That wasn’t to say he hadn’t been her best friend and kept her sane for a long time, but after years apart you tend to drift and lose touch. It took twenty minutes to get through to Damon, and when she did, he was shocked she’d called. She explained everything how people were treating her and how they acted around her. Damon said evenly “Angel when some people don’t have the advantages you do they‘re going to resent that you do. You can’t make it right for them because no matter what you give them, they’ll never be satisfied. They will always want and believe they deserve more. You can’t let them get you down.”
The next morning before she left for her classes, she had Grant do some research it had been eight years since she’d seen Jay, she knew most people would look at their old relationship as odd because Jay had been so much older, but Jay had taught her to protect herself. He’d defended her and kept others from hurting her. If there was one person out there, she knew deserved to be in her life now it was Jay Tannen. When she gave Grant his name, she told him that Jay had joined the Marine’s eight years ago, Grant had assured her with his contacts if Jay was military or ex-military, he would find him.
Her second day at school at least went without drama. She had noticed her brothers didn’t look so much stressed as annoyed today. It had been Trey who had told her that a lot of the males on campus were discussing Angel, openly and it was wearing on her brother’s nerves. Angel had sat them down and told them point blank that people were going to talk and, as long as, they were talking about them, they were giving someone else a rest. She told them to let it roll off their backs. One year and she’d have her brothers out of here if they stayed on their current track.