Chapter 16 - Mason
Mason moved back with Daniel full time.
Not because Verena was permanently erased.
Court decided her contact separately.
He saw her under conditions once her criminal case resolved.
I stayed out of that.
Different child.
Different father.
Mason and Odessa remained friends.
At first awkward.
He apologized constantly.
“I ate your lunches.”
“You didn’t know.”
“But still.”
Odessa rolled her eyes.
“You didn’t kick box.”
Mason eventually stopped apologizing.
Good.
Children should not inherit restitution duties for parents’ wrongdoing.
When his prepaid private-school year ended, Daniel moved him to a different school he could afford.
Mason was angry.
At Verena.
At me.
At money.
Normal.
I did not rescue every consequence.
I had covered one transitional semester.
After that Daniel handled it.
Mason later told me:
“I thought rich people never worry about school.”
I said:
“Everyone worries about something.”
He looked at my house.
“Not same.”
Correct.
I did not pretend wealth erased advantage.
Odessa’s trust gave her extraordinary resources.
We taught her that without making wealth shameful.
Money is capacity.
Not character.
At twelve she received her first structured financial education.
She learned the Founder Trust’s economic interest.
Her eyes widened.
Then narrowed.
“Can I buy horse?”
“No.”
“What is point?”
May you like
Mason, sitting nearby, laughed so hard milk came out his nose.
Some traditions survive across families.
