Page 16 of Bad Daddy

“That sounds incredibly frustrating,” Haru said gently.

Danny looked up at him in surprise.

“Well, sure,” Haru continued. “Here you are, able to do the work—knowing you’re capable of doing the work… but the system requires just exactly the specific things you’re not as skilled at, so it makes you look like a failure. When really, you just need to do things differently.”

“I don’t know how I can do anything differently,” Danny said wearily. “I don’t think I can do more than I’m doing. I’m already losing sleep over studying.”

“Right,” Haru said. “Memorizing your textbooks.”

Danny didn't answer in favor of eating more of his food. Haru did the same, clearly using the time to think over something he wanted to say.

“Danny,” Haru said after several minutes. He sounded hesitant, which put Danny on alert. What was Haru going to suggest now? “I don’t mean to be invasive, I really don’t, but… do you have difficulty with reading and writing?”

At once Danny flushed hot with shame. He took his time chewing his current mouthful to prolong having to answer, but eventually… “Yeah,” he mumbled. “I’m really bad at it.”

There was silence. Danny stewed miserably while he waited for Haru to laugh at him, or give up and leave, or both. He picked at his food, unable to taste it, which he hated. He wouldn't waste it, but the fact that he couldn't enjoy it really sucked.

Eventually he couldn't take it anymore. “I told you,” he said, breaking the silence. “Not good for much of anything.”

When he peeked up through his bangs, Haru was glowering.

Danny reared back in his seat. He didn’t have to deal with other men’s anger much at this point in his life. Anger was something he had grown out of having thrown at him, except when Clint was in a really bad mood. It didn't stop the visceral reaction of his heart leaping into his throat at having Haru upset with him.

Haru shook his head, clearing his throat. “Sorry,” he said. An apology was the last thing Danny had been expecting. He stared at Haru as Haru seemed to try to center himself.

“Sorry,” Haru said again. He pressed a hand to his forehead. “I’m just… I’m really upset? You’ve clearly been struggling with this your whole life, and it’s frankly a fucking crime that it hasn’t been addressed by anyone.”

“Addressed how?” Danny asked warily. He was kind of worried about what the answer might be.

“All sorts of ways,” Haru said, counting off on his fingers. “Providing you with a notetaker or a reader. Giving you permission to record your lectures. Longer testing times. Audiobook versions of your textbooks. Anything. There is absolutely no reason for you to struggle like this, when there are so many accommodations that can be made for you.”

Danny’s throat was suddenly very dry. Accommodations? For him? “Wouldn’t they…wouldn’t they just say I was trying to get special treatment?”

“It’s not about that,” Haru said, waving a hand. “It’s not about giving you easier work, or giving you opportunities your classmates don’t get. It’s about creating a learning environment that works for you. One that allows you to thrive instead of flounder. God, Danny, you can do algebra in your head. No one is going to be saying you’re trying to game the system.”

“But I can’t…” Danny swallowed, uncertain. “I can’t even write down how I do it.”

“That doesn’t matter so much in the real world,” Haru said, voice soft. “Not at all. I couldn’t care less if you wrote down how you solved the equation. All most people need is the right answer.”

Danny’s eyes suddenly burned, and he blinked hard to get the feeling to stop. He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience, like he was watching someone else being told that they could have a chance at a better life. “I…”

“You know Lily’s brother, Jacob?” Haru asked out of nowhere.

He knew Lily had a brother. Danny didn't see how it was relevant, but he’d bite. “Yeah?”

“Jacob’s one of my best friends,” Haru said. “Crazy smart. Kind of dumb, but crazy smart. He’s an engineer. Works on some pretty impressive stuff.”

“Okay,” Danny said, uncertain.

“He’s functionally illiterate.”

Danny’s eyes widened. “W-what?”

“He’s illiterate,” Haru repeated. “Jacob’s dyslexic to the point that he can’t read written words at all. He’s fine with numbers, but letters don’t work for him.”

Danny was aware he was gaping as Haru continued. “His parents—the Goldburgs–they figured out early on that typical public school wasn’t working for him, so they pulled him out and homeschooled him for a few years while they created a plan to get him back into the system. But they wanted to put him into a system that built him up instead of tearing him down. They actually pioneered a lot of the facilities that schools use now, for people like Jacob. And like you.”

“Like me,” Danny whispered to himself.

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