“Really?”
“Really,” he said with a warm smile.
I squeezed Beverly’s hand under the table. Sophia didn’t look at anyone as she sat there, defeated.
But I wasn’t done. “Beverly already knows what she’s buying, don’t you?” I said, giving her a wink.
She nodded.
“A pink bike with a basket.”
Grandma smiled. “We’ll go shopping tomorrow, sweetie.”
The conversation moved on, but Sophia sat in silence, her face as red as the tablecloth. She’d been exposed, and everyone knew it.
The next morning, I woke up to Beverly bouncing on my bed.
“Joan! Wake up! You promised!” she squealed, her excitement lighting up the room.
I groaned dramatically.
“What time is it? The sun’s barely up!”
“It’s bike day!” she declared, dragging me out of bed by my hand.
After breakfast, Dad handed me the full $300. “Take her shopping and make sure she gets everything she wants,” he said, smiling at Beverly.
“This is her money, and it’s time she enjoys it.”
Beverly clutched the bills tightly, her eyes gleaming. “Thank you, Daddy!”
We spent hours at the store. Beverly picked out the prettiest pink bike with a white basket and matching tassels.
She made sure it had a bell and a helmet, too. With the leftover money, she bought a doll she’d been eyeing and a giant art kit.
“Do you think Sophia’s mad?” she asked as we loaded everything into the car.
“Maybe,” I said honestly. “But she had no right to take your money.
And now, she knows she can’t get away with it.”
Back home, Dad pulled me aside. “Joan, thank you for standing up for Beverly. I should’ve noticed something was off, but I trusted Sophia too much.
That won’t happen again.”
Source: amomama
