THE REVERSE ROBIN HOOD
Eric extended his hand.
He wasn’t asking for more. He was holding out half the stack.
“$500,” Eric said, his voice breaking. “This is for you.”
Rahat stopped filming. His heart hammered in his chest.
“No, man,” Rahat said. “That’s yours.”
“I want to share it,” Eric insisted, trying to shove the money into Rahat’s pocket. “You gave me the ticket. We split it.”
He was trying to give away the only luck he’d had in years.
Rahat felt a lump in his throat. The prank was over. The reality was crushing.
“Why?” Rahat asked, stunned.
“Because you helped me,” Eric wiped a tear. “I don’t need it all.”
Rahat couldn’t keep up the charade anymore.
“Eric,” Rahat said gently. “Listen to me.”
“The ticket was fake.”
Eric’s face fell. The light left his eyes.
“But the money is real,” Rahat said quickly. “It’s my money. And it’s all yours.”