The Father's Reckoning

Chapter Four : The Man With No Options

The following morning, Tyson arrived at work earlier than usual.

He had barely slept.

Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered the doctor's words.

Fifty thousand dollars.

Four days.

His son needed him, and he had no idea how he was going to raise the money.

He parked his car, collected his delivery bag and walked into the building.

"Morning, Tyson!" one of his colleagues called.

"Morning."

"You look terrible. Didn't sleep well?"

Tyson forced a smile.

"Something like that."

His colleague laughed.

"Well, you better wake up. Collins is already looking for people who are late."

Tyson nodded and continued towards the dispatch office.

He wasn't in the mood for conversation.

At the dispatch desk, he collected his delivery schedule and checked the addresses. There were several packages waiting, and he knew he would spend most of the day driving around Las Vegas.

Normally, he wouldn't complain.

But today, every minute felt like time he couldn't afford to waste.

He needed money.

And he needed it quickly.

By midday, Tyson had completed several deliveries.

He stopped at a small restaurant, bought a bottle of water and sat inside his car.

His phone was beside him.

He opened his contacts again.

There was one person he hadn't called.

His former classmate, Daniel.

They hadn't spoken properly in months, but Daniel had once told him that he could reach out whenever he needed help.

Tyson hesitated before pressing the call button.

"Tyson! My man!" Daniel answered cheerfully.

"Hey, Daniel. How are you?"

"I'm good, brother. What's happening? It's been a while."

"Yeah. I know."

"How's Sandra? How's the baby coming along?"

Tyson went quiet.

"That's actually why I'm calling."

Daniel's voice changed.

"What happened?"

Tyson explained everything.

He told him about Sandra's premature labour, Zeri's condition and the treatment the doctors had recommended.

When he mentioned the amount, Daniel became silent.

"Fifty thousand dollars?" he finally asked.

"Yeah."

"That's a lot of money, Tyson."

"I know."

"Have you tried the hospital's assistance programme?"

"They said the support is limited. I can't depend on it."

Daniel sighed.

"Brother, I wish I could help you with that amount. I really do. But things aren't exactly easy for me right now."

Tyson rubbed his forehead.

"Anything would help. I'm not asking you to give me everything."

"I'll see what I can arrange. Let me speak to a few people."

"Thank you, Daniel."

"Don't mention it. How is Sandra?"

"She's stable for now."

"Good. Stay strong, brother."

The call ended.

Tyson placed the phone on the passenger seat.

Another promise.

Another possibility.

But nothing he could depend on.

He took a deep breath, opened the car door and returned to work.

By late afternoon, Tyson had completed most of his deliveries.

He drove back to the company building and parked behind the other delivery vehicles.

As he entered the office, he noticed his manager, Collins, standing near the dispatch desk.

"Tyson!"

He stopped.

"Yes, sir?"

"Come into my office."

Tyson followed him.

Collins was a middle-aged man who had managed the delivery department for several years. He was known for being strict about schedules and company policies, but Tyson had always maintained a professional relationship with him.

Once they entered, Collins closed the door.

"What's going on with you today?" he asked.

Tyson looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been distracted since morning. One of the customers called to complain that you arrived late."

"I'm sorry, sir. I had an emergency."

Collins sat behind his desk.

"What kind of emergency?"

Tyson hesitated.

Then he decided to explain.

"My wife gave birth prematurely last night. She's still in the hospital, and my newborn son is seriously ill."

Collins's expression softened slightly.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you, sir."

"Is your wife alright?"

"She's stable, but my son needs urgent treatment."

Collins nodded.

"That's unfortunate."

Tyson took a breath.

"Sir, that's actually why I wanted to speak with you."

Collins looked at him.

"Go ahead."

"I need a loan."

The manager leaned back.

"How much?"

Tyson swallowed.

"I need fifty thousand dollars."

Collins stared at him.

"Fifty thousand?"

"Yes, sir. My son's treatment depends on it."

"Tyson, that's an enormous amount of money."

"I know. I'm willing to have it deducted from my salary over time. You can even increase the deductions if necessary."

Collins shook his head.

"I'm afraid that's not something I can approve."

Tyson stepped closer to the desk.

"Please, sir. I've worked here for years. I've never asked the company for anything like this."

"I understand, but company policy doesn't allow me to issue personal loans of that size."

"Could you speak to the owner? Maybe there's something they can do."

Collins sighed.

"I can ask, but I don't want to give you false hope."

Tyson looked down.

"Please try."

"I will."

There was a brief silence.

Then Collins leaned forward.

"Have you considered approaching a private investor or someone who handles emergency financing?"

Tyson shook his head.

"I don't know anyone like that."

Collins thought for a moment.

"There's someone you could try."

Tyson immediately looked up.

"Who?"

"Dominic Swagger."

The name meant nothing to Tyson.

"Who is he?"

Collins opened a drawer and searched through some papers.

"He's a businessman. A very wealthy one. He sometimes provides financial assistance to people who can offer something valuable in return."

Tyson frowned.

"What kind of assistance?"

"That depends on the arrangement."

Collins pulled out a small card and placed it on the desk.

"Here's his office address."

Tyson picked it up.

The card was black, with the name DOMINIC SWAGGER printed in gold letters.

Beneath it was a telephone number and an office address.

"Do you know him personally?" Tyson asked.

"Not really. But I've heard about him."

"Is he trustworthy?"

Collins gave a small shrug.

"I can't answer that. All I know is that he has money, and he sometimes helps people who are in difficult situations."

Tyson studied the card.

"Thank you, sir."

"Just be careful, Tyson. People with that kind of money don't usually give it away without expecting something in return."

Tyson nodded.

At that moment, he wasn't thinking about anything beyond his son's treatment.

If there was even a small chance of getting the money, he was willing to explore it.

By the time Tyson left the office, the sun was beginning to set.

He stood beside his car, examining the card again.

Dominic Swagger.

He turned it over, hoping to find more information.

There was nothing.

He opened his phone and searched for the name.

Several results appeared, but most contained little information beyond business dealings and charity appearances.

There were photographs of Dominic attending public events, standing beside wealthy businessmen and shaking hands with influential people.

He looked like an ordinary successful businessman.

Tyson had no reason to suspect otherwise.

His phone vibrated.

It was a message from the hospital.

Mr Alan, please contact the neonatal unit regarding your son's medical arrangements.

Tyson's heart sank.

He immediately called the number.

After a brief conversation with the nurse, he was reminded that the treatment preparations needed to begin as soon as possible.

He looked at Dominic's card again.

Four days.

He couldn't afford to waste another one.

Tyson opened his car door and placed the card on the passenger seat.

He started the engine.

As he drove towards home, he made a decision.

The next morning, he would visit Dominic Swagger.

He didn't know what the man would ask of him.

He didn't know whether the offer would be fair.

But he knew one thing.

He wasn't going to sit back and watch his son lose his chance at life because he couldn't afford the treatment.

Whatever opportunity Dominic had to offer, Tyson was prepared to hear it.

Even if it meant stepping into a world he knew nothing about.