“Marcus got a boat thing. That was good.”
The shadow box.
“And Ellie’s picture was very good.”
Then he shrugged.
“They’re different.”
I was standing six feet away.
That was when I realized Danny understood the thing I had been afraid everyone else wouldn’t.
The gifts weren’t supposed to compete.
I had turned them into a competition because that was what I did with everything.
I measured.
Ranked.
Compared.
Danny had literally broken the ruler.
On the drive home, the wooden box sat on my lap.
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Mom drove.
Danny sat in the back seat eating fries.
I kept opening the lid.
“MARIANNE IS NOT THE BEST BECAUSE SHE IS FIRST.”
“SHE IS THE BEST BECAUSE SHE COMES BACK.”
Finally, I asked, “Who helped you write this?”
Danny stopped chewing.
