The Olympic trials were held in Indianapolis in a facility that seated 8,000 people and smelled like chlorine and nervous anticipation in equal measure. Zara arrived two days early with Dr. Osi and a team manager named Paul, who handed her a detailed schedule every morning and asked nothing from her except that she eat, sleep, and stay off social media.
She ate, she slept, she stayed off social media.
The night before her event, she called her parents. Emmanuel answered on the first ring. Grace was beside him; she always was for the important calls.
"You ready?" her father asked.
"I think so."
"You ready, or you think so?"
She laughed. "I'm ready, Dad."
"Make them see it."
Same words, same voice, eight years after he'd first said them in a parking lot outside a YMCA at 5:30 in the morning.