Chapter 11 - The School Mark Chose

"It never happened," Mark said.

Austin stood.

"That's not the point!"

"I know."

"Do you?"

Neighbors across the street glanced over.

Austin did not care.

"You planned a whole future for her. Better school. College account. New clothes. What did you plan for me?"

Mark opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Austin nodded like he had received an answer.

"Right."

"Wait."

Mark stood too.

"The Westbridge thing was one deposit. I canceled it."

"Why?"

"Because Lily said she didn't want to leave her friends."

Austin looked almost amused.

"Not because you wanted us together."

Mark's chest tightened.

"No."

It hurt to say it, but lying would hurt more.

"Not then."

Austin walked toward the house.

Mark followed him in.

Lily was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

She had heard everything.

"You were going to send me away?"

"To a school. Not away-away."

"Without Austin?"

Mark closed his eyes.

Lily turned to her brother.

"I didn't know."

"I know."

"I swear."

"I know."

She looked at Mark.

"I don't want the college money."

"Lily—"

"Split it."

"It's yours."

"No. You made it mine because you thought I mattered more. I don't want money that says that."

Mark stared at his daughter.

Twelve years old, furious, scared about her own identity, and still thinking about Austin.

He felt ashamed of how much better she understood family than he had.

"I'll make it equal," he said.

Austin shook his head.

"You still think equal means dollars."

Mark looked at him.

"Then tell me what it means."

"I shouldn't have to teach you how to be my dad."

That sentence emptied the room.

Sarah walked over and put a hand on Austin's shoulder.

"He's right."

Mark nodded.

"He is."

He opened the banking app again.

"I'm going to match Austin's account to Lily's. Not as a gift. Not for forgiveness. Because it should have been there already."

Austin looked away but did not object.

"And after that?" Sarah asked.

Mark took a breath.

"After that, I call someone."

"Who?"

"A family therapist."

Margaret raised her eyebrows.

Mark gave a humorless smile.

"Yeah. I know. I used to make fun of therapy. Add that to the list."

Lily almost smiled.

Then the doorbell rang.

Everyone looked toward it.

Mark checked the security camera on his phone.

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