“No,” I told him immediately. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Because I know you said I should only buy chocolate and come home.”
He held up the receipt.
“I bought the chocolate. I didn’t forget.”
A tiny, nervous smile appeared on his face.
“And I used my money to help the lady. But I didn’t take anything from anyone’s pocket. They gave the money to the cashier themselves.”
I swallowed hard.
“I understand, Theo.”
He looked relieved.
“Okay. Because I don’t want to be in trouble.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re not in trouble.”
Then the elderly woman stood up slowly.
She was a small woman with silver hair tucked beneath a knitted blue hat. Her coat was worn around the cuffs, and the fingers of her gloves had begun to fray. She looked as though she had spent a lifetime working hard and had reached a point where even asking for help felt like an unbearable burden.
