He took in a breath and blew it out, no longer looking at me. “Just my son,” he said finally, holding up his phone as if Nathan were inside it.

“What about him?” I asked, although I was afraid I knew.

He hesitated. Looked at his phone. Then he leaned back against the folding table, arms folded across his chest.

“He just told me he doesn’t want to go to Smith Mountain Lake with me this year,” he said. “He’d rather spend the time with his mother and stepfather in Disney World.”

I heard the hurt in his voice. “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, surprised by the twist of pain I felt in my own chest, seeing his disappointment. He’d been so looking forward to the time with his son. “But I don’t think you have it exactly right,” I added.

He raised his eyebrows. “No?”

“Nathan talked to me about it that day you sent us to get lunch.”

“He did?” He looked puzzled. Maybe a little hurt. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I sat down on the chair next to the mural. I felt guilty. Maybe I should have told him. “He wasn’t sure of his decision then,” I said. “I was hoping he’d end up going with you. And it didn’t feel like my place to say anything. I thought he needed to tell you himself.”

Oliver hesitated, then nodded. “True,” he finally agreed. “So how don’t I have it exactly right?”

“Because you think he’s picking his mother and stepfather over you, but that’s not it at all, Oliver. He’s picking Disney World over the lake.” I smiled at him with sympathy. “Any kid would. I would have given anything to go to Disney World when I was Nathan’s age.”

Oliver unfolded his arms and looked down at the phone in his hand as if he could see Nathan’s image there. He let out a heavy sigh. “You know, I’m glad for Stephanie. Nathan’s mother,” he said. “She deserves a happy marriage. But … and I feel small about this … her husband makes about ten times what I make, and Nathan’s at an age where that matters. His stepdad can give him anything he wants.” He gave me a weak smile. “I know on the deepest level that shouldn’t matter, but it does.”

I was touched that he was confiding in me and I hurt for him. “I think he’s so lucky to have you as a dad,” I said.

He let out a small laugh. “Well, thanks for saying that,” he said. “And I’m sorry to lay my problems on you,” he said. “You just caught me at a weak moment.”

“A human moment,” I said. “You seem so perfect all the time that I’m glad to see you’re mortal like everybody else.”