Grace insisted on paying full price.
Daniel allowed it after she threatened to file a complaint with management.
“You are management,” he reminded her.
“Then I know exactly where to file.”
By December, Grace was nineteen and attending community college part-time while working several afternoons a week at the garage. She had started studying business administration mostly because, in her words, “somebody around here needs to understand paperwork before Daniel signs another thing with grease on his hands.”
Chloe was thirteen now.
The age difference between them seemed smaller than it had a year earlier.
Grace helped with homework, drove Chloe to a school event once when Daniel was stuck with a delayed customer pickup, and became the person Chloe texted when she wanted advice she considered too embarrassing for her father.
Daniel pretended not to know that.
Karen knew he knew.
She considered the arrangement healthy.
The First Annual Second Chance graduation was scheduled for the Saturday nearest the anniversary of Grace’s breakdown.
Twelve students had completed the full first-year program.
Not every student wanted to become a mechanic.
One planned to study industrial maintenance. Another had discovered she preferred automotive electronics and applied to technical college. Two had apprenticeships at other independent shops because Daniel refused to pretend his own business could hire everyone.
Tyler stayed.
He was seventeen now, balancing high school with increased hours at the garage and preparing for his first professional certification exam.
Daniel offered him an assistant instructor role for the next program cycle.
Tyler read the letter twice.
“You’re paying me to teach?”
“To help teach.”
“That seems dangerous.”
“It is. Marcus will supervise.”
Tyler looked toward Marcus.
Marcus said, “I reject this responsibility.”
“You’re already doing it.”
“I continue to reject it symbolically.”
Tyler laughed.
The graduation preparations transformed the community room.
Grace organized chairs.
Chloe designed simple printed programs.
Peter arranged catering but obeyed Daniel’s strict order not to make it extravagant. Karen recruited two hospital volunteers to help with setup. Marcus complained about all ceremonial activities while arriving first that morning to make sure the floor was spotless.
Nadia Cole called three weeks before the event.
“A year,” she said.
Daniel knew immediately what she meant.
“No.”
“You don’t know the question.”
“You’re predictable.”
“Channel Nine wants to revisit the story.”
Daniel sighed.
“Not me.”
“Daniel.”
“Film the students.”
“That is exactly what I want to do.”
He paused.
Nadia continued.
“The first story was about what one man did for one girl. The follow-up is about what happened after everybody stopped sharing the post.”
That framing changed his answer.
“All right.”