“We asked for the tickets because we wanted to support you,” Linda said.

“We wanted to see you succeed.”

“You asked for tickets under the name Barrett because you thought I still had it,” I said.

“You wanted to see if your discarded asset had miraculously gone up in value.”

Richard looked away toward the academy gates.

A few families were already walking out to the parking lots, carrying programs and gifts.

“That forty-five thousand dollars a semester really bought Allison a brilliant business degree,” I said.

“But it didn’t buy you the top graduate today.”