Chapter 3 - The Letter Was Never the Real Problem
On Friday morning, David kept his promise.
He called the Larkin Community Scholarship Foundation while Nia sat beside him at the kitchen table.
A woman named Ms. Price answered.
After David explained what had happened, there was a brief silence.
Then she spoke warmly.
"First, please tell Nia congratulations. Her application was exceptional."
Nia looked down, embarrassed but pleased.
"Thank you," she said.
"And second, don't worry about the damaged letter. The award is recorded in our system. We can send a replacement electronically and by mail."
David released a breath.
"Thank you."
"There is one important thing," Ms. Price continued. "We need Nia's acceptance confirmation submitted by Monday."
Nia immediately reached for her notebook.
"I can do that today."
"Wonderful. I'll email everything you need."
The call ended a few minutes later.
David turned toward his daughter.
"See? Nothing has been taken away."
Nia nodded.
But her expression remained serious.
"What is it?" he asked.
She hesitated.
"I knew tearing the letter probably wouldn't cancel the scholarship."
David frowned.
"Then what scared you so much?"
Nia studied the repaired paper on the table.
"I thought everyone would act like it didn't matter."
David felt the words more sharply than he expected.
She had not only feared Simone's cruelty.
She had feared that the family would dismiss her pain.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Nia looked up.
"For what?"
"For not noticing how often you've been asked to make yourself smaller."
They completed the electronic acceptance together.
Nia entered her information, reviewed the scholarship conditions, and submitted the form herself.
A confirmation appeared on the screen.
David smiled.
"Congratulations, Miss Carter."
Nia laughed.
This time, nobody told her to lower her voice.
That afternoon, the foundation emailed an invitation to a small scholarship recognition reception the following Saturday.
Nia printed the invitation and placed it inside a blue folder.
She was about to carry it upstairs when Simone entered the kitchen.
Her eyes fell on the folder.
"So they sent another one."
Nia instinctively pulled it closer.
Simone noticed.
For the first time since the previous afternoon, she looked uncomfortable.
"I'm not going to touch it."
Nia said nothing.
Simone opened the refrigerator.
"Did Dad really call them?"
"Yes."
"Of course he did."
Nia stood.
"Why does that bother you?"
"It doesn't."
"Then why do you keep saying things like that?"
Simone shut the refrigerator without taking anything.
"You have no idea what it's like."
Nia's patience finally broke.
"What is it like, Simone? Watching your sister work for something? Because apparently that was unbearable."
Simone stared at her.
"I applied for a scholarship last year."
Nia stopped.
Simone looked away.
"I didn't get it."
"I didn't know."
"Nobody knew."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because Dad kept talking about how important college was. And Grandma kept telling everybody I had such a bright future."
Her voice tightened.
"I couldn't stand telling them I got rejected."
Nia slowly lowered herself into a chair.
For the first time, she understood something about her sister's anger.
But understanding didn't make the shredded letter disappear.
"I'm sorry you didn't get it," Nia said.
Simone blinked.
"I am. But I didn't take it from you."
Simone's eyes filled.
She turned quickly and left.
David had heard the last part from the hallway.
He followed Simone to the back porch.
She was sitting on the steps with her arms wrapped around her knees.
"Why didn't you tell me about the rejection?" he asked.
Simone shrugged.
"What would you have said?"
"I would have helped you look for another option."
She laughed bitterly.
"Would you?"
David sat beside her.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because you already had Nia."
He looked at her.
Simone wiped her eyes angrily.
"At my graduation dinner, you said Nia was going to be the college girl in the family."
David remembered.
It had been a careless joke after Simone announced she wanted a break from school.
He had meant to encourage Nia.
He had not considered what Simone heard.
"I shouldn't have said that," he admitted.
"No, you shouldn't."
For a while, neither spoke.
Then David said, "I made a mistake comparing you. But what you did to Nia was your choice."
Simone stared across the yard.
"Grandma says you're punishing me because Nia's your favorite now."
David closed his eyes briefly.
May you like
He had spent the past day trying to understand his daughters.
Now he realized he also needed to confront the person who had been telling both girls that love was something they had to compete for.
