Chương 10
She glanced toward the kitchen window.
“You really didn’t think you could tell me.”
Daniel swallowed.
The easy answer was no.
The honest answer was more complicated.
“I didn’t know what telling you would do.”
Elaine nodded once.
She looked down at her plate.
Richard cleared his throat.
“Well.”
Nobody answered.
He tried again.
“Well, that’s…”
The sentence failed.
Ethan leaned back.
“Dad, are you trying to say congratulations?”
Richard glared at him.
“I know how to say congratulations.”
“Evidence suggests otherwise.”
Their aunt covered a laugh with her napkin.
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Congratulations.”
The word sounded awkward.
Daniel felt something tighten behind his ribs.
“Thanks.”
Richard nodded.
Then he picked up the carving knife.
The turkey had gone cold.
For the next ten minutes, nobody knew how to return to dinner.
His aunt asked too many questions about ships.
Ethan answered several incorrectly.
Elaine corrected nobody.
Richard carved slices that were much too thick.
Daniel’s phone began vibrating with notifications from the academy portal and email.
He ignored them.
He wanted to sit inside the moment without turning it into another checklist.
Then Elaine said, “How much does this cost?”
Daniel looked at her.
“The academy?”
“Yes.”
He nearly laughed.
It was so perfectly his mother that affection and irritation arrived together.
“I don’t pay tuition.”
Richard looked up.
“Nothing?”
“There are expenses and financial arrangements, but it’s not like regular college.”
“And room?”
“Covered.”
“Food?”
“Covered.”
Ethan pointed his fork at Daniel.
“You’re officially cheaper than me.”
Richard said, “Don’t start.”
Ethan looked at him.
“I’m not insulting him.”
Daniel smiled despite himself.
Elaine’s eyes filled suddenly.
She stood so fast her chair tipped backward.
“I need a minute.”
She left the room.
Daniel watched her disappear down the hallway.
His aunt started to follow.
Richard stopped her.
“Let her go.”
The rest of dinner ended early.
Daniel carried plates into the kitchen while Ethan wrapped leftovers.
Richard disappeared into the garage.
His aunt left with one pie because nobody had touched dessert.
Daniel found Elaine in the laundry room folding towels that did not need folding.
She had already made the same stack twice.
He leaned against the doorframe.
“You okay?”
Elaine did not look up.
“I burned your applications.”
Daniel said nothing.
She folded another towel.
“I keep thinking about that.”
“I think about it too.”
“I thought I was being practical.”
“You weren’t.”
“I know.”
The admission came without defense.
Daniel stayed where he was.
Elaine pressed both palms against the folded towel.
“I was angry at you.”
He frowned.
“For what?”
“For making me feel like I had failed.”
Daniel looked at her.
She gave a small, embarrassed laugh that contained no humor.
“You had all these schools and plans and numbers, and every time you talked about them, all I could hear was what we couldn’t give you.”
“That wasn’t what I was saying.”
“I know that now.”
She looked at him.
“At the time, I wanted the problem to stop.”
“So you destroyed the paperwork.”
“Yes.”
The word was barely audible.
Daniel’s throat tightened.
Elaine wiped one eye with the heel of her hand.
“I told myself you’d forgive me because I was your mother.”
Daniel looked down.
The washing machine lid had a dent near one hinge.
He had caused it years earlier by sitting on it when Richard had told him not to.
“I don’t know if I forgive you yet.”
Elaine nodded.
“I know.”
There was relief in being allowed to say it.
No argument followed.
No demand.
She lifted another towel.
Daniel took it from her.
“This one’s already folded.”
Elaine looked at the stack.
“So it is.”
He almost smiled.
She did.
It lasted only a second.
By Monday, the nomination appeared in Daniel’s candidate portal.
The green status marker looked absurdly ordinary.
He took a screenshot anyway.
Mrs. Patel made him print it.
“For your records,” she said.
“You just hate digital civilization.”
“I hate teenagers who assume websites never malfunction.”
She leaned back in her chair.
“Congratulations.”
Daniel smiled.
“Thank you.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
“And now you finish.”
The remaining requirements became more frightening because the appointment felt close enough to lose.
His medical review cleared the old ankle injury.
His academic file remained strong.
The Candidate Fitness Assessment was scheduled for early December in the school gym.
Ethan volunteered to help without being asked.
For two weeks, they practiced every event.
Daniel improved in the run and push-ups.
The basketball throw remained ridiculous.
“It’s not basketball,” Ethan told him.
“You’re literally holding a basketball.”
“It’s mechanics.”
“My mechanics hate me.”
“They barely know you.”
The pull-ups were worse.
Daniel could do them, but not enough to satisfy himself.
He began staying after school to use the weight room.
One afternoon Richard appeared at the door.
Daniel nearly dropped from the bar.
“What are you doing here?”
Richard held up a paper bag.
“Your mother said you forgot lunch.”
Daniel looked at the clock.
“It’s four thirty.”
“I know.”
Richard set the bag on a bench.
“Turkey sandwich.”
“Thanks.”
Richard watched him rub his hands together.
“How many?”
“Seven.”
“Is that good?”
“No.”
“What do you need?”
“More.”
Richard nodded.
He stayed.
Daniel jumped back onto the bar.
The eighth pull-up was ugly.
The ninth was worse.
His chin did not clear the bar.
He dropped.
Richard said, “That one doesn’t count.”
Daniel turned.
“Helpful.”
“You want me to lie?”
“No.”
Richard picked up the paper bag.
“Eat the sandwich.”
Daniel sat on the bench.
Richard remained standing.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Richard said, “I used to do twelve.”
Daniel looked at him.
“When?”
“High school.”
“That information is prehistoric.”
Richard smiled faintly.
“Probably.”
Daniel opened the sandwich.
His father pointed toward the bar.
“Try again after you eat.”
Daniel did.
Two weeks later, he passed the fitness assessment.
He did not ace it.
May you like
He did not need to.
When Mrs. Patel confirmed the scores had been submitted, Daniel walked into the empty stairwell beside the counseling office and sat on the top step.
