Marcus frowned.
“Who?”
She looked toward the garage.
“A giant mechanic who told my son not to spend all his money fixing somebody else's problem.”
Marcus laughed.
Then became quiet.
For a moment, he looked toward the calendar.
The date of Sophie's school event was approaching.
And he realized that the advice he'd given Ethan applied to him too.
The Saturday of Sophie's science day began badly.
At six in the morning, Marcus received a call from a customer whose motorcycle had developed a serious electrical problem during a trip. The man was stranded at a rest stop more than forty miles away and wanted Marcus to come personally.
A year earlier, Marcus would have gone immediately.
He would have postponed whatever family plan he'd made.
Explained afterward that someone needed him.
And expected his son to understand.
This time, he looked toward the calendar.
SOPHIE — SCIENCE DAY.
He took a breath.
Then called Dean.
“Can you handle a roadside job?”
Dean sounded sleepy.
“Depends. Is somebody bleeding?”
“No.”
“Then why are you calling me before sunrise?”
Marcus explained.
Dean listened.
Then asked.
“Why don't you go?”
Marcus looked toward the calendar.
“Because I'm going to Harrisburg.”
There was a pause.
Then Dean laughed softly.
“About time.”
Marcus smiled.
“I need you to coordinate a recovery to the shop if the rider wants one. No roadside repair if the location isn't safe.”
Dean agreed.
“I'll handle it.”
Marcus thanked him.
Then called the stranded customer back with the options.
The man wasn't delighted that Marcus wouldn't come personally, but he accepted the arrangement.
The situation was handled.
Nobody needed Marcus to abandon his family.
At seven-thirty, he left Briarfield carrying a small wooden box.
Inside was a simple battery-powered model engine he'd assembled for Sophie, along with a handwritten explanation of how the motor worked.
He was nervous.
More nervous than he'd been before any difficult repair.
He arrived at the school early.
The gymnasium was filled with colorful posters, small science demonstrations, and children proudly explaining projects to parents and grandparents.
Marcus stood near the doorway.
For a moment, he felt out of place.
He wore clean jeans, a black shirt, and a plain jacket that couldn't conceal the tattoos along his wrists.
Then he saw Lucas.
His son stood beside a table helping Sophie arrange several small magnets.
Marcus stopped.
For several seconds, he simply watched.
Lucas looked up.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Lucas smiled cautiously.
“Dad.”
Marcus swallowed.
“Hey.”
His son approached.
He seemed uncertain whether to shake hands or hug him.
Marcus solved the problem.
He opened his arms.
Lucas hesitated.