Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22: THE YELLOW COAT
Winter approached. The mornings grew sharp with frost.
It was time for a new winter coat for Oliver.
In the past, Diane would have orchestrated this. A package would have arrived containing an imported, stiff wool pea coat. It would be itchy, restrictive, and entirely impractical for a child, but it would look perfect for photographs. Oliver used to hate wearing it. He used to pull at the collar, only to be sharply reprimanded for wrinkling the fabric.
This Saturday, they drove to a regular department store.
They walked down the kids' aisle.
Michael didn't steer Oliver toward the neutral colors. He didn't look at the price tags first.
"Pick the one you want," Michael said.
Oliver walked past the navy blue parkas. He walked past the sensible gray jackets.
He stopped in front of a puffy, oversized, aggressively neon-yellow winter coat. It was loud. It was entirely unrefined.
Oliver touched the sleeve. He looked up at Michael, his eyes wide, testing the boundary.
"This one?" Oliver asked.
The old Michael would have gently redirected him. Isn't that a bit bright, buddy? How about the black one?
The new Michael pulled the bright yellow coat off the rack.
"Let's try it on," he said.
Oliver slipped his arms into the sleeves. The coat was slightly too big, swallowing his small frame. He zipped it up to his chin. He looked like a glowing marshmallow.
Oliver beamed.
"I can run fast in this," he announced.
Michael looked at Emma over Oliver's head. He smiled.
"You look like a very fast lemon," Michael said. "I like it. If it snows, we'll be able to find you from space."
They bought the yellow coat.
When they walked out of the store, Oliver refused to take it off, even though the car heater was on.
May you like
He wore it all the way home.
A bright, unapologetic, neon declaration of a child who was finally allowed to just be a child.
