The rule of three

A giant beggar

Dean had difficulty believing what they just said.

"You cannot mean that?" He said in disbelief. Leilani loved this child as fiercely as he did. 

From the moment she first held her, the plan was to adopt the baby as a couple, as soon as possible. 

"We have not seen her." The oldest Reverend Sister said, looking at him with kind eyes. 

Dean felt sad. The mockery from others, and his fear must be true then. 

Leilani did not come for any of his court hearings, never visited him in prison, and completely abandoned Alanna who was supposed to be their child. 

He did not know which hurt him the most. Leilani abandoning him, or Alanna.

"I thought Alanna would have been adopted by now." Dean asked.

"She has not bonded with any family. In fact, you are the only one she has favored with a smile in years." The Reverend Sister explained. The two other sisters nodded in agreement.

Dean wanted to ask some more questions but decided not to. He stood up abruptly and said he would be back. 

He went out, and with the last cash on him, he bought treats and candies and snacks for Alanna. 

He got two bags. A small one for her, and another for the other children to share. 

Alanna's eyes lit up as soon as he was shown into their play area. 

He watched her eat and play for a while remembering how he and Leilani would hold her here on many afternoons in the past. 

They even watched her take her first steps here at ten months old.

"Would you come visit me again?" Alanna asked, holding his large hand with her tiny one, when he announced he was leaving. 

She was looking up at him with her big blue eyes. Dean made a vow to himself at that moment. With the little time he had left to live, he would get her out of this place, with or without Leilani's support.

"Yes princess." He said. "I will come see you everyday."

He walked out of the orphanage unsure of his next move but determined to get a job. 

He had nowhere to sleep that night, and the clothes he had on were so worn out and raggedy he looked like a beggar. 

A GIANT BEGGAR he thought and smiled wryly.

"Hey. Look where you are going." A biker said, swerving away heavily to avoid hitting him. Dean was drawn out of his thoughts. 

The biker looked at him in disgust, hissed and spat before pedaling away, cursing. 

Dean shrugged it off. He knew he would get more of that treatment today. Especially as he planned to find a job. 

And he did. 

Some shop owners and managers listened to him state his qualifications before turning him out. Some did not even let him speak before shooing him away.

It was night now, and he was in a casino. He was ready to take any job, even a janitor position. 

 "Who let you in here?" The manager asked angrily. That person should be fired."

"I just need a job."

"We don't employ the likes of you here. Get out of this place." The manager screamed, roughly pushing him out.

"I will fire whoever let you in here. I shudder to think of our VIP clients seeing the likes of you here." The manager continued. She was shrieking now. 

Dean quickly walked out feeling shame. But he did not leave the building. 

He was ravenously hungry from walking almost all day. He wandered to the casino room without anyone seeing him and sat in a discreet dark corner.

The confidence he had felt after leaving the orphanage had now been crushed. 

Would he be forced to steal? No one would give him a job. And he had no roof over his head or even food.

His stomach rumbled. He felt like he could eat a horse.

 He held his breath when well dressed men began entering the hall. Most of them were closely followed by their security guards.

They sat and their cold faces melted in smiles as they greeted their wealthy companions around the table. They relaxed and drank and began betting. 

Dean watched with keen interest as he noticed something odd. 

Even in this cycle of the very rich, there was a hierarchy. These men had somehow separated themselves into groups. 

And they were all now picking on one man in particular. At first glance, it looked all fun and jokes, but it was not. 

They were lightly mocking him.

The man was losing the game and drinking more heavily the more games he lost. 

Dean shook his head and hissed silently. Here he was, almost starving to death while the rich were practically throwing money away. 

His attention was captured again by a strange look that passed between one of the rich men and the waiter. Dean was close to see everything but not close enough to hear. 

The waiter discreetly nodded to the man and walked towards a glass booth. He passed where Dean was sitting in the dark but fortunately did not see him.

He walked to the booth and left the door open as he spoke with the operator. Dean quickly realised that the roulette wheel was rigged. 

He swallowed a gasp. No wonder the old man was losing.

He looked back and the rich men were jeering at the old man. It seemed he had lost again while Dean looked away.

"You should go home now." One of the rich men said in a mocking tone.

"No." The old man responded resolutely. 

The men roared in laughter. "You have lost five million dollars so far. You really want to continue?"

"Worry about yourself." The old man said darkly and the laughter stopped.

"Ok. As you wish." 

From where Dean sat looking at the booth, he knew how the table was rigged and exactly how to win.

"Awwhh." He heard shouts and turned back to the table. The old man had lost again. 

Dean felt like going to shake the man. Why continue playing a game you're losing. He wanted to shake the man and scream "go home."

The man turned and suddenly began to walk towards where Dean sat. Dean's heartbeat stopped. How did the man see him? 

But the man stopped and took out his beeping phone. "I will be home soon honey." He said after swiping the receiver icon.

Dean held his breath, as the man continued to speak with who sounded like his wife.

"Do you think you can play better?" The man said. 

Dean looked up to see the man staring directly at him. "Don't look so shocked, I saw you as soon as I got here. I wondered why the others did not, even that stupid waiter." 

Dean's mouth hung open. 

"You saw that?" 

"Of course I know the game is rigged. I just don't know how." The old man said.

Dean did not know what to say.

"Can you play?" He asked again. "I believe you have an idea how it was rigged." 

"Yes." Dean said.

"Good. We will split the money." The man said. "Come with me."