Marcus glances toward the hallway of old photographs on his way out. One picture catches his eye, faded at the corners: a much younger version of himself, medal around his neck, standing beside her wearing a rare, proud smile.
"You kept that?" he asks quietly.
"I keep all of them," Eleanor says. "Even the ones who forget where they came from."
Marcus does not have an answer for that. He nods once and lets himself out into the cool night air.
Two days later, Harold Byrne walks into the grocery store on Fifth Street. It is Saturday morning, his usual time for weekly shopping. He is halfway down the cereal aisle when he hears familiar laughter: Tyler and Cody, Derek's two training partners, stand near the end of the aisle, phones already out.
"Look at this guy," Tyler says, loud enough for Harold to hear. "Bet he was in that taekwondo class, too."
Harold keeps walking, focused on his list.
"Hey, old-timer," Cody calls out, "you going to call your mop lady friend if we mess with your cart?"
They knock a box of crackers off the shelf as Harold passes; they laugh as it hits the floor. Dotty, two aisles over, hears the commotion and comes to see what's happening. She finds Harold standing still, jaw tight, cart gripped white-knuckled.
"Leave him be," Dotty says, stepping between them.
"Or what?" Tyler laughs. "You going to karate-chop us, too, Grandma?"
"I might surprise you," Dotty says, though her voice shakes slightly.
Cody laughs and steps closer, phone angled toward her face. "This is gold. Keep going, Grandma."
Vivian happens to be at the register three aisles away, picking up milk and bread on her way home from her second job. She hears the laughter before she sees what's happening. By the time she rounds the corner, Dotty is standing her ground; Harold's hands are shaking slightly at his sides.
"That's enough," Vivian says, walking straight toward them.
Tyler's smile falters the moment he recognizes her. "Oh, hey, it's Mop Girl."
"Leave them alone," Vivian says. "Now."
"Or what?" Cody says, though his confidence has slipped. "You going to catch our fists, too?"
"I'd rather not have to," Vivian says. "But I will if you make me."
For a moment, nobody moves. Then Tyler laughs it off, holding up his hands. "Whatever. Not worth it."
They walk out, phones still raised, already filming their own exit for the internet.
Dotty lets out a shaky breath. "Thank you, dear."
Harold nods, still a little pale. "Didn't think grocery shopping would get exciting this week."