He called the manager over and paid the bill. Then he arranged a hotel suite for the night, insisting they take the entire space so the children could rest. While Taryn settled them into warm beds, Mason stepped into the hallway and dialed contact after contact. By midnight he secured temporary housing assistance, health checkups, and a meeting with a hiring coordinator at a partner firm.
The next morning, when he returned, Brielle ran toward him and wrapped her arms around his legs. The innocence of her gesture shattered him. He bent down, hugged her gently, and whispered, “I am here now.”
Days turned into weeks. As Taryn regained strength, she attended job interviews arranged through Mason’s network. She eventually accepted a receptionist position at an accounting office in River North. The children were enrolled in school and began to adjust, laughing more easily as winter softened into early spring.
Mason visited them constantly. One Saturday they wandered through Lincoln Park Zoo, watching the penguins waddle across icy platforms. The children raced ahead while Mason and Taryn walked slowly behind.
“They like you,” she said quietly.
“I like them too,” he answered.