His father stepped closer.
“No. It was humiliation.”
Connor stopped talking.
His father pointed toward Mason.
“You saw someone smaller than you. Someone who couldn’t defend himself. You decided that made him an easy target.”
Connor opened his mouth.
His father raised a hand.
“I’m still talking.”
The boy went quiet.
“You embarrassed a mother. You frightened a baby. You did it because your friends were watching.”
Connor’s eyes dropped.
For the first time, I saw something besides arrogance.
Shame.
It didn’t erase what he had done.
But it was there.
His father looked at me again.
“My name is Nathan.”
The name sounded familiar.
I couldn’t place it immediately.
Then I remembered.
His name was on signs around town.
He owned several local businesses.
I had driven past one of them that morning.
Nathan seemed to notice that I recognized him.
He looked uncomfortable.
“Yes,” he said. “That Nathan.”
