Not recognition of their identities. I had already explained that.
Recognition of everything he had missed.
“You won both divisions?” he asked.
Eli glanced toward Owen. “Separate divisions.”
“Science and math,” Owen added.
Daniel nodded several times, almost as though he had just received information his mind needed extra time to absorb.
“That’s… impressive.”
Neither boy responded.
Daniel turned his attention toward me. “Why didn’t you tell me they were competing at this level?”
I nearly laughed at the question.
Not because anything about it was amusing.
Because it was so unmistakably Daniel.
For illustration purposes only
For thirteen years, he had created an enormous empty distance between himself and his sons, and now he was asking why I hadn’t provided him with directions across it.
“You didn’t know what school they attended until this morning,” I said quietly. “When exactly was I supposed to start sending you competition schedules?”
His expression tightened.
“Claire, that’s not fair.”
Something shifted in Eli’s face when he heard those words.
I felt him move slightly beside me, but he remained quiet.
Before I could respond, Mason stepped closer.
His attention wasn’t on Daniel.
He was staring at Eli’s badge.
“Wait,” he said. “You’re Eli Mercer?”
Eli looked startled. “Yeah.”
Mason turned toward Owen. “And you’re Owen Mercer?”
Owen nodded.
For the first time that entire day, Mason laughed, but there was nothing cruel about the sound.
“I knew those names sounded familiar.”
Daniel frowned. “From where?”
Mason looked at his father as though the answer should have been obvious.
“The state rankings. Their team has been ahead of ours in the online challenge series almost all year.”
Vanessa finally walked over to join us.
“Mason,” she said softly.
But Mason continued.
“Eli had that environmental model that got featured in the student research showcase, right?”
Eli nodded again, clearly uncomfortable with suddenly becoming the center of attention.
