"Mom?" Nerissa knew that something was wrong. Her mother who worked a lot never got distracted when talking to her so she tried again. A little louder this time. "Mom!?"

"Sor-" Spring had gotten distracted again and rambled off. "I'm here Rissa. What's the matter?"

"It's nothing.. Just could I borrow a couple of dollars?" Rissa had found out that her drinking was getting the better of her when she checked her accounts. She needed the money and was now standing in their kitchen. She hated to bother her mother knowing the lecture that was about to come, but she never knew who her father was. Only that her mother made so much money, more than she knew what to do with and kept giving large sums away.

"Yeah sure. Could you swing by a little later for it?" Her mother had been rummaging through a cupboard. In a huff, Rissa stormed off because she knew better than to get in the way right now. This had been what it was like all her life.

As she stormed up she wondered if her mother even cared. Imagine all the money Rissa could have had if her mother had stored it away instead of giving it to some man. A man she didn't even know! Her mother said it was business and always ushered her out the door before she could learn any more.

Just as she reached the front door, she heard a gun shot. BANG! Single shot and a thump. Turning on her heels, Rissa ran back to where her mother was just a few minutes ago. Did the cupboard get stuck? That couldn't be it. Rushing into the room with a heart that was racing faster than even she could explain, she surveyed the scene.

No one else was in the room. The gun was lying by her mother's head and there was so much blood. Without missing a beat, Rissa checked for a pulse, when she couldn't find anything she went in search of help. Rushing through the front doors, she found one of the employees and sent them to get help right away before rushing back to her mother's side. A sob she did not make. Instead her eyes remained fixed in horror as she gazed down at the lifeless body.

Was this really her mother? Spring always seemed so happy. What in the world would possess her to do this? She had a child to care for! Dammit. Didn't she know what she was doing? Questions just kept coming and when the police arrived, Rissa could only point at the woman on the floor. A woman she did not seem to know or recognize. Had the lines always been etched on her face? Were they laugh lines or lack of sleep?

The body was removed so fast. Was it really that fast or did time just move differently when you were in shock?

"Ma'am? Ma'am? Do you know what happened?" An officer was questioning her.

"No. I was leaving.. My mother.. is she? Where is she?" The words came faster now. "Did she? Did someone sneak in and do this in the few minutes it took me to get to the door? What happened?"

Rissa was trembling. She was scared and alone. Now more alone then ever. What would she do? Where would she go?

"It looks like a suicide. We gotta go." The officer said to his partner. They both looked her way before leaving.

Nerissa stared at the pool of blood. All that was left of her mother now and sobbed. The tears came hot and fast, it felt like they would never end. Kneeling by the blood, the water from her eyes dripping down her cheeks and into the mess. There was no consoling her.

Rissa was now the heiress of her mother's fortune.

"Now what?" she thought to herself as the tears began to dry up.

The Funeral

Arrangements had been made to host a funeral. Nerissa was not thrilled with the idea but she put out an obituary in the newspaper, stating the date and time for this funeral as she had no way of telling her mother's friends. It appeared Spring just remembered things without needing an address book or any form of notes with telephone numbers. Rissa was learning just how secretive her mother was, or was it her instinct to protect her daughter from the life she was living?

Dressed in a black somber dress, Rissa made her way out of the home she had lived in her entire life and into a black vehicle that was waiting to take her to the church. The tears had already dried on her face and now she set her shoulders back and prepared for what she was sure was going to be a waste of time. She would have preferred to bury her mother in a quiet and small ceremony with just her brother, Emmett and their uncle Bradley. However, they had talked her into allowing the public to come and mourn Spring's death.

Nerissa had the feeling that they knew more about her mother than she did. The weight of that knowledge burned into her very soul. How could they know more than her only daughter? The daughter that was raised solely by this woman?

Her hand shook as she opened the church doors. Walking into the room, she noticed every seat was full. This shocked Rissa.

"Who are these people?" Rissa asked the pastor.

"Why they are friends of your mother's. She was loved among many cities, you know."

Shaking her head, because Rissa had not known. Dumbfounded she headed to the front pew. Tears began to stream along her face once more as she saw the peaceful look of her mother's face. It was too much for her. She could feel her heart breaking, so she kept her head down and prayed. Something she had not done in such a long time.

It took hours, but once the funeral was over, Rissa headed home and drank her sorrows away.

Party Girl

The will had been settled. Since Rissa lived at home, she would keep the home. The money that Spring had in her bank accounts were split between Emmett and Nerissa. It was more money then even Rissa knew existed. Her mouth had literally dropped open as the money was transferred to her. She would be set for life. And her mother had always given her trouble for going out? Now she could do as she pleased.

It was weeks before Nerissa even left home, but once she did, you could usually find her in the local bars. She certainly liked her vodka but she loved her whiskey. Bottles would be gone before day break and she would feel it the entire next day. Every day she got up to do it the same way as journalists followed her. Flashy new clothes, drinks and lots of dancing. She was the party girl that you always wanted to have around.

Always up for a good time, Nerissa began to fall in with a rougher crowd. She craved the attention and did almost anything for it. The loss of her mother still had her reeling and she tried to find reason at the end of every empty bottle. Breaking heart after heart on her quest to find something real.

It became clear that she would not find that when she ended up in a tough situation. The booze, the men, the lack of feeling.. Where was she headed? She didn't know so she kept drinking more.

It ended one night in an accidental overdose. Too many drugs mixed with too many drinks and suddenly she was in the hospital at the request of her brother. Emmett.. Always so good. So strong. Absent.

The Party's Over

"Emmett? What the hell?"

Nerissa was annoyed. She knew when Emmett was around that she had done something wrong, or something wasn't going to go right for her. He seemed to enjoy cleaning up after her and he only ever showed up when he was.

"It's for your own good Rissa. Mom would have wanted it."

There it is, she thought to herself, the punch to the gut. Mom. She tested the restraints and let out a growl as she stared her brother. Admitting defeat she allowed herself to be trapped temporarily. She would do whatever it took to get out of this hospital.

2 weeks later

Rissa walked out of the hospital. Sober, and off everything. She still craved everything but now she would be home at least. She needed something for herself, so she took the long way home.

Walking along the streets of Detroit she had found an interesting little bit of money opportunity. Once she was settled at home, Rissa took on odd jobs. Each job that she took on seemed to pay more than the last. Eventually she had run out of jobs, what would she do now?

Standing along the street, she had merely just turned when a voice had caught her attention.

"Ma'am." She glanced up into a man's face. Her eyes held a world of questions. "You've done a lot of work for me, are you looking for a more permanent opportunity to make money?"

"Of course!" Rissa had nearly jumped out of her skin in excitement at making more money. It was the only thing that was keeping her sane.

"Let's go somewhere so that we can discuss the type of work your mother used to do. I think it would be a good fit for you."

She hesitated. She didn't really know the man but curiosity was getting the better of her. Learning more about her mother had been something that weighed heavily on Nerissa. She had so many questions and ultimately that decided everything for her.

"Please." She managed to get out in a bit of a strangled whisper. Emotions were clawing at her.

He ushered her into a local business she had never noticed before.