The room went quiet.
Caleb’s fingers tightened around the red fabric.
The pride disappeared from his face.
I was about to step in when he looked directly at his grandmother.
“She knows when someone’s kind to her.”
Linda opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Caleb folded the dress carefully.
Then he walked upstairs.
I followed him.
He was sitting on the edge of his bed when I entered.
“I’m not mad that you love Sophie,” I said.
He stared at his shoes.
“I know.”
“I’m proud that you wanted to do something kind.”
He looked up hopefully.
“But you cannot hurt yourself to help someone else. Going hungry is not okay.”
“I wasn’t hurt.”
“You could have been.”
He swallowed.
“I just wanted her to have it.”
I sat beside him.
“Why that dress?”
His answer almost broke me.
“Because sometimes Jenna looks sad when she thinks nobody sees her.”
