Chapter 4 - THE BOY WHO ASKED FOR NOTHINGDante expected Eli and Grace to ask for money.
They didn’t.
That bothered him.
Not because he wanted to be exploited.
Because he understood exploitation.
It had rules.
Need without manipulation was harder.
Grace declined his first offer.
“I can arrange an apartment.”
“No.”
“You’re sleeping in a church basement.”
“Temporarily.”
“You have a child.”
“I know.”
“You need help.”
“I need work.”
“I can give you both.”
Grace looked directly at him.
“Work first.”
Dante studied her.
“You don’t trust me.”
“I don’t know you.”
“Isabella did.”
“She loved you.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Grace hesitated.
“She trusted your heart.”
Interesting wording.
“And the rest?”
Grace gave a tired smile.
“She worried about the world around you.”
Dante looked away.
Fair.
Again.
He hated Grace Mercer’s ability to be fair.
Eli ate lunch with Rosalie at the estate the next day.
Dante insisted.
Not because Eli asked.
Because Rosalie did.
She had not stopped talking about him.
“Do you pray for everybody?” she asked.
Eli shrugged.
“Sometimes.”
“Did you know I would stand?”
“No.”
“Then why did you say you could help?”
“I thought prayer might help.”
“That’s vague.”
Eli smiled.
“You sound like my teacher.”
Rosalie laughed.
Dante watched from the doorway.
He did not remember the last time she had laughed with another child.
Most children became awkward around the wheelchair.
Too helpful.
Too quiet.
Eli simply treated it like furniture.
Rosalie asked:
“Do you think God healed me?”
Eli looked uncomfortable.
“I don’t know.”
Dante stepped in.
“Good answer.”
Rosalie rolled her eyes.
“Dad.”
Eli said:
“I don’t think people get to decide what God did just because something happens.”
Dante stared.
Ten years old.
Dirty shoes.
Theological caution.
Ridiculous.
And somehow more mature than many men Dante had known.
Rosalie asked:
“Then what do you think?”
Eli looked at her.
“I think you stood.”
Simple.
Rosalie smiled.
Dante did too.
Later, Dante gave Eli an envelope.
The boy looked at it.
“What’s this?”
“Money.”
Eli immediately handed it back.
“No.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You came here.”
“That’s not work.”
Dante stared.
“How much money have you ever seen at once?”
Eli looked embarrassed.
“I don’t know.”
“Take it.”
“No.”
“Your mother needs it.”
Eli’s eyes hardened slightly.
“Then give her a job.”
Dante stopped.
The exact same instinct as Grace.
Not charity.
Dignity.
“What does she do?”
“She worked at hospitals.”
Dante nodded slowly.
“I’ll ask.”
Eli looked suspicious.
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
No thank you.
No flattery.
Only okay.
Dante almost laughed.
That evening he told Grace there was an administrative opening with one of his legitimate healthcare businesses in White Plains.
Interview.
Not gift.
She accepted the interview.
May you like
Nothing more.
And that was when Dante began to understand why Isabella might have trusted her.
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