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“Did I ever really thank you for that?”
“Yeah,” Myron managed, keeping his head down. “I think you did.”
“Anyway, my point is, once I was healthy and able to exert myself, I realized, I don’t know, that I must have inherited some of your athletic genes. And of course, Dad. I mean, he’s not my biological father, but I was raised by a professional basketball player. So in terms of athleticism, on the nature front, I have you. On the nurture front, I have him. You get it, right?”
“I get it,” Myron said, wondering where he was going with this.
“So that’s why I was a later bloomer. When I was seventeen, I realized that I had the potential to be an elite athlete, but since I never played any sports as a kid, I was too far behind to catch up skill-wise. So I had these—shall we call them physical gifts?—and no outlet for them. I think that’s why I ended up channeling those skills into what I do now.”
“In the military?”
“Yes.”
Myron nodded. “Sounds like you put your ‘physical gifts’ to work in a much more meaningful way than me or… or your father.”
Jeremy smiled. “Your father,” he repeated. “You really dug deep for that one, Myron.”
Myron shrugged, also smiled. “Trying.”
“I appreciate that.”
“So while I’m digging deep,” Myron began.
Jeremy looked up.
“We never talked about what it was like for you,” Myron said. “Finding out about me.”
“Yeah, we did.”
“You’re not my dad. I mean you might be my father. But you’re not my dad.”
“Okay, that one time. When you first found out. But you were thirteen.”
“It’s a little late now.”
“Is it?”
“I said all I wanted to say. Look, Myron, you did nothing wrong. Well, okay, hold up, you clearly did something wrong, you and Mom, but as she’s pointed out to me ad nauseam, that mistake made me. It was a long time ago. Can we just move on now?”
“Yeah, sure.” And then Myron realized that he couldn’t turn back. Not now. “But I have a favor to ask.”
Something in Myron’s tone made Jeremy pause. He put down the sandwich. “Okay.”
“It’s not a favor exactly. I’m not sure what it is.”
“You’re kinda scaring me, Myron.”
“It’s not scary. It’s the opposite of scary.”
“Myron.”
“You wanted to keep your paternity private out of respect for Greg. I got that. And I always respected that.”
“And now?”
“Now your grandparents—your biological grandparents—are getting old. Your grandmother is not well. And today your grandfather…” Myron stopped.
“My grandfather what?”
