After years of being worked in his stepfather’s construction company, Sheldon is dumped when his stepbrother David returns. Instead of retaliating, Sheldon walks away gracefully, only to be headhunted by a competitor. But after a few months, his stepfather calls him, desperate…
Did you realize that sometimes things come full circle? So that’s the narrative of my life.
I’ve been working at my father’s construction company since I was fifteen. At first, it was easy jobs like filing and cleaning out his office, but as I progressed through school, I was given greater responsibility. I did this not because I wanted to, but because I had to.
My father, or technically my stepfather, did not let anyone go for free. He had one rule that he swore by. If I wanted to live in his house, I needed to work to earn my keep.
“It is what it is, Sheldon. Take it or leave it,” he said.
Obviously, I had no choice but to accept it. Where else would I go?
He married my mother when I was ten, and since then, he has always referred to me as his “responsibility.”
It never seemed that way since when I became 16, I had to pay rent, which required me to work at his firm after school and at the local ice cream shop on weekends.
But that was good; I did not complain once. I assumed it was all part of his concept of tough love.
I gradually rose through the ranks of the organization. My stepfather forced me to work full-time at the company after I finished from high school.
“Sorry, Sheldon,” he said one evening over dinner. “But there’s no room for you to go to college or whatever. Now that you have the time and capacity, you need to join the company properly.”
“That’s fine with me,” I said, feeling an odd sense of contentment.
My stepfather seemed to want me there, which was significant to me.
So I began with the filthy jobs. I cleaned up sites, hauled stuff till my muscles were defined, and did whatever was necessary. I worked hard because I wanted to be proud of the company; after all, it was my family’s legacy.
By my mid-twenties, I was a foreman. I thought I had proven myself, not only as an employee, but also as his son.
Then, everything changed. David came back. His biological son.
David hadn’t been around in years. After my father’s divorce, he sided with his mother and blamed him for everything.
“He said some pretty horrible things to Dad,” my mom told me once when I asked why we didn’t see David.
“So, that’s it? It’s like how I don’t see my biological father?” I asked.
“Pretty much, honey,” she said. “But your father was a ᴄʀᴜᴇʟ man, ᴄʀᴜᴇʟ to the bone.”
While David was away, I filled in as the son. I tried everything, I put in the effort, but when David decided to return, it all appeared to vanish.
“I don’t get it,” I said to my mom one night. “David hasn’t spoken to Dad in over a decade. And now he’s back, acting like nothing happened between them?”
My mother sighed and cut a slice of banana bread for me.
“Your father misses him, honey,” she replied quietly. “He’s just trying to make things right.”
I exhaled. I understood, but it didn’t sit well with me.
A few days later, I was called into my father’s office. He did not even look up from his desk. He simply cleared his throat.
“We need to let you go, Sheldon,” he said.
“What?” I blinked, trying to process. “You’re firing me? Really, Dad?”
He finally looked up, but didn’t make eye contact with me.
“David’s coming on board, and, well, we don’t have room for both of you in management. He’s got the degree, you know? Construction management?”
“So?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice calm. “I’ve been here for over a decade. I’ve earned this.”
“It’s time I help David get on his feet,” he muttered. “He’s my son, after all. And I lost so many years with him.”
I sat for a second, astonished.
“I thought I was your son, too.”
“You are, but you’re not blood,” he said.
It ended just like that. No severance pay, no handshake, and no thank you for my years of hard work. I could feel the anger rising, but I held my cool.
“All right,” I said, standing up. “Cool. Good luck.”
I stepped out, not knowing what would come next.
“Just move in with me,” my girlfriend, Bea, suggested when I told her what had happened. “You don’t need to see him every day after this. Take some time away.”
I listened, and after a few hours, I was out of our house and into her apartment.
Within a week, I found a new job at a competing construction company. I had developed some strong connections over the years, and they pounced at the opportunity to hire me.
“It’s for a project manager role, Sheldon,” the owner said. “I know it’s not what you’re used to, but I’ve followed the projects that you’ve overseen. You’re ready for this.”
I agreed without hesitation. This new post brought higher income and, most importantly, more respect.
“You’re going to love it here,” my new boss stated as he showed me around my new office. “We take care of our people, Sheldon. None of that cutthroat stuff that I’ve heard your father does. And don’t worry, we cover dental, medical, and everything else.”
I smiled. I could tell right away that this would be unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
It didn’t take me long to adjust to my new job, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I worked on projects ranging from movie theater construction to malls and theme parks. Things were only going to get better from there.
“I miss you at home, darling,” my mother said when we met at a coffee shop for breakfast one weekend.
“I know, Mom,” I said. “I miss you too. But you understand why I had to move, right?”
“Of course I do, Sheldon,” she said gently. “And it was time to spread your wings, too. But if I’m being honest with you, there seems to be something big going on with Dad’s company. He’s been very stressed. He and David are not really on speaking terms now. They’re just polite to each other.”
“Trouble in paradise?” I asked sarcastically.
“I think so,” my mother said, buttering a slice of toast.
It wasn’t long before whispers began to circulate across our industry, with speculation of my father’s company going bankrupt appearing to be the most prominent. Apparently, things weren’t going so well since David took control.
My stepbrother had been losing business, mismanaging projects, and making several mistakes. Some of the clients I had developed ties with departed my father’s company and signed with me instead.
Then, one day, I was sitting in my office, going through a stack of resumes, when I came across David’s.
“No way,” I replied, glancing at the document. It was surreal. The same David who had replaced me at my father’s company was now applying for a position at my new one.
I couldn’t resist. I called upon him for an interview.
When David walked in, he appeared exhausted, as if life had knocked him around. He didn’t recognize me at first, but when he did, the color left his face.
“Have a seat,” I said.
He sat down, obviously uncomfortable. He no longer had the same level of confidence.
“So,” I began, flipping through his resume. “Why are you looking for a job here?”
He gulped.
“I need something new. Things didn’t work out at my dad’s company.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Just… I made some mistakes. I lost us some clients.”
“I see,” I replied, leaning back in my chair. “You do realize that this is the same industry, right? We’re not going to make it easy for you.”
David nodded.
“I’m ready to work,” he said.
“We’ll let you know,” I said.
As he went, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of satisfaction and pity. Karma has finished her duty. Still, it felt nice to know that I had landed on my feet while David was struggling.
A couple of weeks later, my phone rang. It was my father.
“Sheldon, come back,” he said simply. “The company is failing. David walked out after he messed up again. We’re in trouble. I need you to come back. Help me out, maybe take over.”
I let the silence hang in the air for a time.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” I said quietly. “But I’ve moved on. I’m happy where I am.”
He sighed heavily.
“I understand, son. I’m… I’m proud of you, you know?”
“Thanks. I wish you the best,” I said.
“Come over for dinner soon?” he asked hopefully.
“Yeah, maybe,” I said.
When I hung up, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. Years of trying to prove myself to him were over.
What would you have done?
