“Funny, I got the feeling she did it for you. She said a couple times how good it was to see you again.”
“She’s been with my family since I was eight.” The happy expression told Isaiah all he needed to know. “I remember how disappointed I was when I learned she had two teenagers. I thought we were her family.”
“Really? You didn’t know the cook was . . . you know, someone who worked for your parents?”
“I guess I did, but at nine I didn’t really think like that. She was here, she loved me, she was family.” He shrugged. “I get how stupid that sounds, but . . .”
“No, I get it.” Darren only saw people by how they treated him. It was a beautiful sentiment, even if simplistic.
“Do you have something you want to do? Homework? Practice? Read?”
Isaiah sensed Darren had something particular in mind. “Nothing I need to do. Why? Did you have something you want to do?”
Darren’s gaze jumped about again. “Not really. We could go for a drive if you like.”
So he did have something. Knew it. A smile tipped Isaiah’s lips. “Sure. That’s cool.”
Darren led them around the back of the house toward a large white shed. It had probably been a stable or carriage house when it was first built. Behind it, Isaiah spotted rows of metal structures.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing.
Darren stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. “A pipe dream, I guess.”
“Yeah, you’re gonna need to tell me more than that.”
Isaiah detoured around the side of the shed, and Darren traipsed behind him.
The view opened up and Isaiah lurched to a halt at the sea of solar panels. “It’s a mini solar farm.”
Darren sighed, warm breath catching on Isaiah’s ear. “I convinced my dad to build this to power the car barn.” He pointed further back in the field. “There is a second slightly bigger one there.”
“This is awesome. Now go back to the pipe-dream bit.”
Darren scoured the solar farm. “I thought if Dad saw how well it worked, he might sanction a renewable energy initiative at MAS Oil.”
“Renewable energy initiative?” Isaiah asked.
“Oil’s time as a fuel is limited. Not immediately, but in our lifetime for sure. That’s not a dream, it’s reality. There is only so much oil in the world, it’s destroying the environment, and more and more people are moving toward electric cars. MAS can ride it out if they want, in which case it will slowly become diminished. Or it can recognize the future and use excess profits to slowly build up its renewable energy assets to offset oil’s inevitable decline.”
He pointed toward a large rectangular container at the far end of the array. “That’s a high-capacity storage cell. During a sunny day, we generate way more energy than we need to maintain the cars, charge the golf carts the grounds crew uses to maintain the property, and charge their tools. The excess is stored there to power the lights at night, and when it’s at full capacity, we sell that power back to the grid. The concept is entirely scalable, so if it was cost-effective here, it would be even more so commercially.”
Isaiah absorbed the setup with growing respect. He wasn’t sure how much he bought Darren’s “this is for the good of MAS Oil” as much as it was something that was right. But whatever the reason, the idea was amazing. Darren clearly had a passion for the subject. “And? Did it work?”
“Yes, we’re selling enough surplus electricity that we’re covering the payments on the loan for the array. And that doesn’t include the savings for the power needs it covers.”
“So it’s really a success.”
“Yeah.” It didn’t sound like Darren believed it.
“What? You said it worked.”
“It does, but Dad and I haven’t talked about it since it was installed. I doubt he knows the particulars.”
“You could talk to him today.”
“Um . . . yeah. I’ll see if he’s free later.” He turned without looking at Isaiah. “C’mon, let’s go.”
It didn’t take a mind reader to know Darren wasn’t going to talk to his father about it. The question was, why not?
Isaiah filed it away and followed Darren to the car shed.
Darren
It wasn’t Isaiah’s fault he picked at an open wound. He didn’t know.
Still, the reminder of his failed dream stung.
Hopefully a drive would help.
Lights flickered on as they entered the shed, glowing over a long row of cars. Most of the them were rarely used and sat under protective covers. Including the one he wanted for this particular drive.
He led Isaiah toward the far end of the row.
As he expected—hoped?—Isaiah looked in awe of the assembled automobiles.
Darren slowly tugged at one of the covers and walked around to the other side. Isaiah caught on to what he was doing and helped roll back the gray, custom-made protector. When they had it off, Darren folded it and put it on a nearby shelf while Isaiah examined the car.