“Abuttrezil,” Lottie repeated it. “I bet she’s driving your ex nuts, asking about the release date.”
“So the world will know she has Gastric Flare Syndrome.” Harlow briefly closed her eyes. “I gotta say, better her than me.”
“You and me both.”
Harlow let Lottie get back to work and finished her ride around the property. She felt an inkling of sadness when she spotted Happy Camper, looking lonely and forlorn now that Aunt Birdie was gone. Would her aunt find fulfillment in helping the impoverished Cuban residents? She hoped so. If anyone could make things happen, it was Harlow’s aunt.
Finishing her ride, she stopped at the gate and let herself in. She strode down the sidewalk to her designated bike spot. Putting the kickstand down, she tested the tire the teen had fixed.
“You did a great job, Arlen.” Harlow patted the seat. “You’re a thoughtful kid who deserves a break. Money doesn’t buy happiness, but itwillhelp one of the good guys get ahead.”
Chapter 16
Completing Harlow’s good deed was trickier than she thought it would be. After setting up an account on Northern Michigan University’s website, she navigated through several screens until finally being connected to a live person in the finance department.
Harlow briefly outlined her goal. “Arlen is a great kid who has gone through some tough times. He’s interested in more of a trade school career.”
“Which fast-tracks students,” the student service’s advisor said. “NMU helps with job placement.”
“It sounds perfect.”
“How much do you plan to put toward his education?”
“I want to pay for the whole enchilada,” Harlow said. “Tuition, supplies, housing, food allowance, maybe even set up a small spending account.”
“Are you related to the student?”
“No.”
“I see. A close family friend.”
“Close enough. Tell me how I can accomplish this as quickly as possible.”
The advisor took Harlow’s personal email address and promised to send her the application and forms, along with the paperwork. “I sent it over.”
Harlow clicked on the email, confirming receipt. “Awesome. I’ll be able to wire the money over once I finish setting up an account, so it should only take a day or so.”
“I mean, if you have the funds, you can do it with a few clicks of a button. You can put as much or as little into his account as you want.”
“As I said, I want to pay for it all. Could you give me a ballpark figure?”
The woman rattled off a number. The amount was significant, but not shocking.
While the advisor ran the numbers to confirm the amount, Harlow scanned the form. It looked straightforward and easy to fill out. She would need some of Arlen’s personal information. “I was hoping to surprise him. Is there any way I can get the ball rolling with limited details and let him fill in the blanks?”
“Absolutely.”
She jotted notes while the woman talked. With a few more questions, Harlow felt confident she could set up Arlen’s separate NMU account in short order. “I appreciate your help.”
“This young man is going to be over the moon.”
“I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m hoping it doesn’t backfire and blow up in my face.”
“Not a chance. Feel free to give me a call if you run into a snag.” The advisor gave Harlow her direct number. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I caught your name.”
“Harlow Wynn.”
A long silence ensued. So long that Harlow thought they’d been disconnected. “Hello? Are you still there?”
