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I have 73 dinosaurs, Caleb said proudly. Want to see them? Yes, Marcus said. I want to see everything. After breakfast, Caleb showed Marcus his dinosaur collection. [music] Cameron showed Marcus’s video games. Kloe showed Marcus her drawings. Every drawing was of a family. A mother, three children, and a father.
“This is you,” Khloe said, pointing at the tall figure with green eyes. “I draw you all the time, even though I did not know what you looked like.” Mama showed me one picture. Marcus felt tears in his eyes. “These are beautiful, Chloe.” At noon, Destiny told Marcus, “The children need lunch and then a nap. You should go.” “Can I come back?” Marcus asked.
Destiny looked at the triplets. They all stared at her with big, hopeful eyes. “Yes,” Destiny said. “You can come back next Saturday, 10:00.” “Can he come sooner?” Khloe asked. “We will see,” Destiny said. “Your father has things to figure out. He needs to find a place to live. He needs to find a job. Marcus nodded. She was right.
He had nothing figured out. He hugged each child. Goodbye. I will see you next Saturday. I promise. You will not disappear. Cameron asked. His voice was serious. Never, Marcus said. I will never disappear again. That afternoon, Marcus found a small apartment in the South End. It was a one-bedroom on the third floor of an old building.
The rent was $2,000 a month. Marcus had some money in his personal savings account, money his mother could not touch, enough for maybe 6 months of rent. [music] He signed the lease that day. On Monday morning, Marcus’ phone rang. It was his mother’s lawyer. Mr. Richardson, I am calling to inform you that your employment at Richardson Investment Group has been terminated effective immediately.
Your trust fund has been frozen. Mrs. Richardson has also revoked your access to the Greenwich property. I understand, Marcus said calmly. There is also the matter of your marital home. That property is in Mrs. Rebecca Richardson’s name. You will need to arrange to collect your belongings. I will send someone to get my things. The lawyer paused. Mr.
Richardson, are you sure about this decision? Your mother is willing to discuss reinstating everything if you No. Marcus interrupted. I am sure. Tell my mother I will not change my mind. Marcus hung up. An hour later, another call came, this time from Rebecca’s lawyer. Mr. Richardson. I am representing Rebecca Hart Richardson in her petition for divorce.
She is requesting an uncontested divorce with no alimony. She will keep the Greenwich property and her personal assets. You will keep your personal assets. The marriage will be dissolved within 60 days. I agree to everything. Marcus said, tell Rebecca I am sorry. Tell her I hope she finds someone who deserves her. I will pass that along, the lawyer said.
He sounded surprised. Marcus started looking for jobs. He applied to 20 investment firms in Boston. He sent his resume to wealth management companies. He called old contacts from Yale. But doors kept closing. His mother’s influence reached far in the financial world. People who used to return his calls immediately now ignored him. Interviews got cancelled.
Job offers disappeared. By the end of the first week, Marcus had 15 rejections. But every Saturday, he visited the triplets. He showed up at exactly 10:00. He spent the whole day with them. He played video games with Cameron. He learned dinosaur names with Caleb. He colored pictures with Chloe. At first, the children were shy around him.
They would play for a while and then run back to Destiny to make sure she was still there. Why do they keep checking on you? Marcus asked Destiny one Saturday. They are afraid you will take them away from me, Destiny said. They do not know you yet. They do not trust you yet. How do I earn their trust? By showing up every single time you say you will be here every single Saturday. No excuses, no missed visits.
That is how you earn trust. So Marcus showed up every Saturday, even when he was tired, even when he was worried about money, even when he felt like a failure. By the fourth Saturday, Cameron stopped asking if Marcus was coming back. By the sixth Saturday, Caleb asked Marcus to read him bedtime stories.
By the 8th Saturday, Khloe fell asleep on Marcus’s lap while watching a movie. She feels safe with you now, Destiny said quietly. That is progress. Marcus looked down at his daughter, sleeping peacefully. Her small hand held onto his shirt. Her breathing was soft and steady. I missed so much, Marcus whispered. Five years of bedtime stories, five years of hugs, 5 years of them feeling safe with me.
You cannot get those years back, Destiny said. But you can be here for all the years ahead. That is what matters now. On a Tuesday afternoon in August, Marcus’s phone rang. Unknown number. Hello, Mr. Richardson. My name is David Chen. I own a small investment firm called Clearwater Capital here in Boston. I heard about your situation.
I would like to offer you an interview. Marcus sat up straight. Yes, absolutely. When? Tomorrow at 2:00. I will be there. The next day, Marcus went to Clearwater Capital. It was a small office on the 10th floor of a building near the financial district. Only 15 employees, nothing like Richardson Investment Group.
David Chen was a man in his 60s with gray hair and kind eyes. He shook Marcus’ hand firmly. “I’m going to be direct with you, Mr. Richardson,” David said. “I heard what happened at your mother’s party. The whole financial community heard about it. Some people think you are unstable. Some people think you are a liability.” Marcus nodded.