A child suggested better motors.
Another wanted team jackets.
A third wanted a larger robot.
Isaiah raised his hand.
“Can another school use it?”
Everyone looked.
A nearby elementary school had qualified for a regional science competition but lacked transportation funds.
The Robo Cubs voted to help.
Part of the extra money funded the other school.
The rest purchased reusable robotics equipment.
Marcus helped build storage racks.
Camille stayed out of the decision.
That was important.
The story belonged to the children now.
CHAPTER 15: DALLAS
The Robo Cubs flew to Dallas in June.
Isaiah sat beside Marcus.
Camille sat across the aisle.
Isaiah spent takeoff explaining why airplanes did not really “feel fast” once they reached cruising altitude.
Marcus nodded solemnly.
“Interesting.”
Camille leaned over.
“He learned that yesterday.”
“I have long respected his aviation expertise.”
Isaiah ignored them.
At the competition, Hawthorne did not win.
They finished fifth.
Isaiah was devastated.
For fourteen minutes.
Then a team from Arizona demonstrated a robot that could identify colored blocks and sort them into bins.
Isaiah forgot fifth place entirely.
He crouched beside the machine.
“How does it know red?”
The Arizona student explained.
Five minutes later, both boys were arguing happily about light sensors.
Marcus watched.
Camille stood beside him.
“You okay?”
He nodded.
“This is what I wanted him to remember.”
“What?”
“Robots.”
Not police lights.
Not Lorraine.
Not being suspicious.
Robots.
The hotel pool.
Airport snacks.
The student from Arizona.
Childhood still had room to reclaim the year.
Marcus was grateful.
CHAPTER 16: ONE YEAR LATER
The following spring, Adventure Kingdom invited the Robo Cubs back.
Future Makers Weekend again.
Isaiah was eight.
Taller.
Still serious.
The same blue sneakers were gone because children grew at unreasonable speed.
Camille asked:
“You want us beside you this time?”
“No.”
Marcus said:
“I could wear camouflage.”
“No.”
“I could hide behind the fountain.”
“Dad.”
“Very subtle.”
“No.”
Ms. Parker assigned Isaiah to distribute workshop cards near Main Avenue.
Not fundraising.
The Robo Cubs now offered free weekend robotics lessons at the community center.
Isaiah walked confidently through the park.
Then he saw Lorraine.
She stood beside a flower bed with her grandson.
Both stopped.
Lorraine looked different.
Not physically.
Something in the posture.
Less certainty.
“Hello, Isaiah.”
“Hi.”
He held up a card.
“We teach little kids robots now.”
Lorraine smiled faintly.
“You're eight.”
“Little-little kids.”
Her grandson looked interested.
“He's seven.”
Isaiah immediately turned toward him.
“You like robots?”
The boy shrugged.
“I don't know.”
“You can find out.”
He handed him the card.
Lorraine watched.
“Thank you.”
Isaiah started to leave.
Then she said:
“I’m glad you came back.”
He turned.
“I almost didn't.”
“I understand.”
Isaiah considered her.
“No offense, but maybe not all the way.”