For a moment, Blake's heel landed too close to the edge of the training area. His balance wavered.
He recovered.
Diego nodded.
"Good recovery."
Blake took a breath.
"Again."
Grant watched.
He had expected something more dramatic.
A powerful punch.
A fast combination.
A display of strength that would make other members stop and look.
Instead, his son was repeating a small movement.
Again and again.
He was sweating.
His breathing was heavy.
He was listening.
And he looked genuinely satisfied.
Grant stood still.
For the first time, he wondered whether he had misunderstood what progress was supposed to look like.
Marcus approached him.
"Morning, Grant."
Grant turned.
"Morning."
"Would you like to watch the rest of the session?"
"Yes."
Marcus stood beside him.
They watched in silence for several minutes.
Blake made another mistake. His rear foot moved too far behind him, leaving his stance narrow.
Diego stopped.
He demonstrated the movement again.
Blake listened, adjusted his position, and tried once more.
This time, he maintained his balance.
Grant nodded.
"Is he improving?"
Marcus did not hesitate.
"Significantly."
"How much?"
"Enough that I trust his judgment more than I did six months ago."
Grant looked at him.
"His judgment?"
"Yes."
Marcus pointed toward Blake.
"He's learning when to slow down. He's learning when he's tired. He's beginning to understand the difference between being challenged and being threatened. He's also becoming more responsible for his training partners."
Grant watched his son.
"He's still not in the advanced group."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because he's not ready for that group yet."
Grant looked at Marcus.
The old response rose automatically.
He could have asked whether the academy was being too cautious. He could have mentioned how much money Blake spent on training. He could have reminded Marcus that his family had helped finance the second location.
He could have demanded a timeline.
Instead, he looked back at the mat.
"All right."
Marcus turned slightly.
Grant continued.
"He'll get there when he's ready."
Marcus's expression softened.
"That's the idea."
Grant watched Blake move again.
After a moment, he said quietly:
"I owe you an apology."
Marcus did not respond immediately.
"For what?"
"For assuming every correction was an insult."
Marcus looked at him.
Grant continued.
"I thought you were holding Blake back because you didn't respect him. I thought you were making him repeat basic exercises because you didn't want him to progress."
"That wasn't the reason."
"I know that now."
Grant folded his coat over his arm.
"I thought he needed people to believe in him. I didn't understand that believing in someone sometimes means telling them they aren't ready."
Marcus nodded.
"That's part of coaching."
"I know."
Grant gave a small, uncomfortable laugh.
"I didn't make your job easy."
"No," Marcus said.
Grant looked at him.
Marcus added, "You didn't."
Grant laughed again, this time with more honesty.
"At least you're still willing to tell me the truth."
"That's also part of coaching."
They watched the session for another few minutes.
Then Grant asked:
"Did Arthur have anything to do with this?"
Marcus glanced toward the other side of the floor.
Arthur was preparing equipment for a beginner class.
"Yes."
Grant nodded.
"I thought so."
"Arthur helped Blake understand things he wasn't ready to hear from the rest of us."
Grant watched Arthur for a moment.
The maintenance worker he had once barely acknowledged was now one of the most respected people in the building.
Grant remembered the tension surrounding Arthur's appointment. He remembered questioning Victoria's decision and suggesting that the academy was taking an unnecessary risk by giving a maintenance employee an instructional role.
He remembered threatening to reconsider his sponsorship.
And he remembered Blake telling him that Arthur was not the problem.
Grant lowered his eyes.
"I owe him an apology too."
Marcus did not try to make the moment easier.
"Then you should tell him."
Grant nodded.
He stayed until Blake finished the session.
When Diego finally called time, Blake removed his gloves and walked toward the bench.
He noticed his father.
His expression changed.
"Dad?"
Grant smiled.
"Good work."
Blake wiped his face with a towel.
"Thanks."
Grant looked toward Diego.
"How was he?"
Diego smiled.
"He's learning."
Grant nodded.
"Good."
He turned back to his son.
"Keep doing that."
Blake frowned slightly.
"Doing what?"
"Learning."
Blake looked at him for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"I will."
Grant placed a hand on his shoulder.
He did not ask how soon Blake would be ready to compete.
He did not tell him that he expected a championship.
He did not ask whether he had impressed anyone.
He simply said:
"I'm proud of the work you're putting in."
Blake looked surprised.
Then he nodded.
"Thanks."
Grant glanced toward the mat.
"Keep listening to your coaches."