“They’re not fancy,” I protested. “They’re practical. Protein, carbs, vegetables—a complete meal.”
“With the crusts cut off,” Ray teased.
“Leo doesn’t like crusts!”
“I don’t mind them anymore, Pop,” Leo piped up, causing Ray to burst out laughing.
The younger me tried to look annoyed but ended up laughing too. “Fine. More crustless sandwiches for me.”
The video continued, showing snippets of our weekend: Ray teaching Leo how to cast a fishing line, me showing him how to identify different bird species, the three of us huddled in the tent during the sudden downpour.
“See?” present-day Leo said, pausing the video during a clip of Ray and me working together to secure the tent in the rain. “That’s what I remember. You guys were always a team. Different approaches, same goal.”
I felt a lump form in my throat. The easy partnership captured on video seemed so distant from where we were now.
“We used to be good at this,” Ray said quietly.
“You still can be,” Leo insisted. “That’s what I’m trying to show you. These differences between you—they’re not weaknesses. They’re your superpower as a couple.”
He continued, “That’s how it always was growing up. Dad taught me to swim, to ride a bike, to stand up to bullies. Pop taught me to think before acting, to find creative solutions, to express my feelings.”
He set down his plate, his expression suddenly serious. “Are you still thinking about a divorce?”
We both tensed up.
“Come on. I’m not a kid anymore.” Leo looked between us. “I’m not worried. I’m concerned. There’s a difference.”
“We’ve been in counseling, trying to decide if we can move forward.” I sighed. “Neither of us knows what’s going to happen on the race.”
Leo looked between us, his filmmaker’s eye seeming to catalog our faces and our body language. “This race—it’s what? A last chance?”
“Not exactly,” I said, thinking of Dr. Lieber’s advice. “More like... a classroom. A place to learn how to be partners again, not just roommates or co-parents.”
“A reset button,” Ray added.
Leo closed the laptop and looked at us earnestly. “This race isn’t just about you two. It’s about our family. About everything we built together.” His voice wavered slightly. “I don’t want to lose that.”
I reached for his hand, suddenly aware that in focusing so much on my broken relationship with Ray, I’d failed to consider how our potential separation would affect Leo. He’d already lost one set of parents. The prospect of his second family fracturing must be terrifying.
“We’re trying, Leo,” I said. “That’s why we’re doing the race.”
“I know.” He squeezed my hand. “And that’s why you’re going to succeed. Not because you’re the strongest or the fastest team, but because when you work together, you’re unstoppable.”
Leo stood up. “It’s getting late, and you guys need a good night’s sleep. I’ll see you before you leave.”
“Thank you,” Ray said. “Not just for coming, but for... everything.”
“Just bring home that million dollars.” Leo attempted a smile. “Or at least don’t get eliminated first. That would be embarrassing.”
“Tomorrow,” Ray said after Leo left, “when we start the race—what if we make a pact?”
“What kind of pact?”
“No matter what challenges they throw at us, we agree to listen to each other. Really listen. I don’t automatically dismiss your caution, you don’t automatically resist my speed.”
“Partners,” I said. “Not competitors.”
“Exactly.”
