That was enough for Denise.
“Exactly.”
Maya felt embarrassed.
Samuel looked at his daughter.
“Apply first.”
“Dad, applications cost money too.”
“Apply.”
“What if I get into somewhere expensive?”
“Then we figure it out.”
Denise laughed.
“You always say that.”
Samuel looked at her.
“Because that’s what parents do.”
“No. Responsible parents plan.”
Samuel’s expression tightened.
“Responsible parents also don’t tell their kid not to try because something might be hard.”
Marcus stepped between them before the argument escalated.
Maya applied to seven schools.
She was accepted to five.
When the letter arrived from Ridgemont University, she screamed so loudly that Denise thought something was wrong.
Ridgemont was four hours away.
It was also expensive.
Very expensive.
Scholarships covered part of tuition.
Financial aid covered more.
There was still a gap.
Marcus offered to help.
Samuel did too.
Denise tried to shut him down.
“You don’t have to prove anything.”
Samuel stared at her.
“I’m helping my daughter with college.”
“I know.”
“Then what am I proving?”
Denise had no answer.
Maya’s freshman year was difficult.
The classes were harder than high school.
She missed home.
Her first architecture studio project received a C-minus.
She called Denise crying.
Denise told her failure was normal.
Marcus sent food delivery to her dorm.
Samuel got into his truck.
Four hours later, Maya opened the dormitory door and found him standing there holding two milkshakes.
“Dad?”
“You sounded sad.”
“You drove four hours because I got a C?”
Samuel frowned.
“C-minus.”
Maya laughed despite herself.
“That’s worse.”
“Exactly.”
He stayed twenty minutes.
They drank milkshakes.
Samuel looked at the model Maya had built.
“You know what’s wrong with it?”
“You don’t know anything about architecture.”
“I know when something looks crooked.”
“It’s supposed to.”
“Then it’s brilliant.”
Maya laughed.
Samuel drove four hours home.
She would remember that visit for the rest of her life.
During sophomore year, Samuel’s business suffered badly.
Two major clients stopped paying.
One project collapsed.
Samuel laid off three employees.
For several months, he took almost no salary.
Maya did not know.
Denise knew.
When Samuel’s contribution toward tuition arrived late, she exploded.
“You promised.”
“I know.”
“Then where is it?”
“I need another week.”
“Marcus already covered the balance.”
Samuel became quiet.
“I’ll pay him back.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“What’s the point, Denise?”
“The point is Maya needs stability.”
“She has it.”
“Because Marcus provides it.”
Samuel stared at her.
“I’m still her father.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t.”
“You keep trying to.”
Denise ended the call.
A week later, Samuel transferred the money.
Marcus tried to return it.
Samuel refused.
“Keep it.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“It wasn’t for you.”
Marcus understood.
The two men never discussed it again.
Maya knew nothing about that exchange.
She believed Marcus had paid the entire semester because Denise told her so.