Twelve-year-old Nia Bennett had rehearsed the sentence all afternoon.
She had whispered it while closing her locker, repeated it while walking down the hallway, and said it again inside her head as she pushed through the front doors of Bellmont Academy with the purple-and-gold packet pressed against her chest.
“Mom, I got it.”
Four words.
That was all.
She imagined her mother stopping beside the black SUV.
She imagined surprise first, then the smile Nia remembered from when she was younger. Maybe Rochelle would hug her. Maybe she would call Nia’s stepfather, Darren, before they even left the school parking lot.
Nia had been waiting three years to make her mother look at her that way again.
She spotted the SUV beside the curb.
Then she saw her mother.
Rochelle Bennett stood beside the open rear door wearing olive trousers and a soft peach blouse, her black hair pulled into the neat low bun she wore whenever she had appointments after work. She was not looking toward the school entrance.
She was looking toward Kayla.
Ten-year-old Kayla Bennett stood beside the vehicle in her Bellmont Bears cheerleading uniform, waving gold-and-navy pom-poms over her head while Rochelle laughed and filmed her with a phone.
“Again,” Rochelle said.
Kayla jumped, kicked one leg high, and shouted, “Bears!”
Rochelle clapped.
“That’s my girl.”
Nia slowed.
The smile on her face weakened.
She looked down at the packet.
Across the purple cover were the words:
BELL-MERCER YOUNG SCHOLARS SHOWCASE
STATE FINALIST PROGRAM
Her name appeared beneath it.
NIA BENNETT
FINALIST — ENGINEERING & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Nia touched the embossed letters with one thumb.
Then she continued walking.
“Mom.”
Rochelle was still helping Kayla fix the bow in her hair.
“Mom.”
Rochelle finally turned.
“Oh. There you are.”
Nia smiled again.
“I have something.”
“Put your backpack in the car, baby. Kayla has practice in twenty minutes.”
“It’s important.”
Rochelle checked her watch.
“So is being on time.”
Kayla looked toward Nia.
“What is it?”
Nia held up the packet.
“I got into the state showcase.”
Kayla’s face immediately brightened.
“The science thing?”
“Engineering.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Kayla grinned.
“Did you win?”
“Not yet.”
Nia looked at her mother again.
“I’m one of twelve finalists.”
Rochelle had already turned toward the SUV.
“That’s nice, honey.”
Nia’s smile disappeared.
“Mom.”
“I heard you.”
“There were over four hundred applicants.”
Rochelle opened the rear door.
“Congratulations.”
She reached for Nia’s backpack.
Nia did not give it to her.
“There’s a ceremony next Saturday.”
Rochelle stopped.
“Next Saturday?”
“Yes.”
“What time?”
“Six.”
Rochelle’s expression changed immediately.
“No.”
Nia stared.
“What?”
“Kayla’s regional cheer showcase is next Saturday.”
Kayla lowered her pom-poms.
“Mine starts at five.”
Nia looked between them.
“The scholarship ceremony starts at six.”
Rochelle sighed.
“Nia.”
“Mine is at the downtown science center.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“You've talked about it for two months.”
“Then you knew it might be that day.”
“I knew it could be.”
Nia’s voice became smaller.
“They said parents have to be there.”
“Parents don’t have to be anywhere.”
Nia stared.
Rochelle softened her tone.
“Baby, I don’t mean it like that.”
“It says family presentation.”
“We’ll figure something out.”
“How?”
“Darren can take you.”
Nia looked down.
Darren had never attended one of her academic events alone.
Not because he was cruel.
He simply treated Nia like someone else’s child whom he liked.
There was a difference.
“Can’t you come?”
Rochelle rubbed her forehead.
“We committed to Kayla’s cheer competition months ago.”
“I didn’t know when the finals were.”
“And that isn’t your fault.”
“Then why am I the one who has to go without you?”
Kayla looked uncomfortable.
“Mom, I can—”
Rochelle turned.