Chapter 14 - Raising a GiantAs the seasons turned, five-year-old Gideon blossomed into a bright, joyful, and deeply empathetic little boy.
He spent his afternoons after kindergarten at my waterfront workshop, wearing a tiny pair of denim overalls I had custom-made for him. Together, we restored a classic 1967 Mustang convertible, replacing spark plugs, sanding down rusted chrome, and painting the body a gleaming sapphire blue.
I taught him the same principles I had lived by my entire life.
"Listen to me, Gideon," I said one afternoon as we sat on the wooden dock behind the workshop, tossing pebbles into the clear water. "A real man doesn't use his strength to hurt people or make them feel small. A real man uses his hands to build things, to fix what's broken, and to protect the people he loves."
Gideon looked up at me with his large, thoughtful brown eyes, adjusting his little yellow work gloves. "Like you protected Mom?"
I wrapped my arm around his small shoulders, pulling him close. "Like your mom and I protect each other. You have her brains and her heart, Gideon. You're going to grow up to be better than all of us."
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"I want to build cars with you forever, Grandpa," he whispered, leaning his head against my arm.
Across the lawn, Arianne stepped out onto the porch of the main house, holding a tray of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. She stood there for a long moment, watching us against the backdrop of the setting sun, a peaceful, radiant smile lighting up her face.
