Instead, I heard something else.
Ariel deserves to be recognized.
“Jennifer?” Mr. Reed asked.
“Yes.”
Ariel turned toward me.
“Mom.”
“It’ll just tell people what you did.”
Mrs. Grunwald shifted near the window.
“Perhaps not all of it,” she said.
I turned.
She touched the new frames. “I don’t need a fuss.”
“It’s something good.”
“I still prefer my private life to stay private.”
Mrs. Grunwald looked at Ariel.
“If you’re comfortable with it.”
Ariel gave a small shrug.
I mistook that for agreement.
“Then yes,” I said. “You have my permission.”
The post went up that afternoon.
At first, I loved it.
I hated admitting that later, but I did.
It described Ariel as a thoughtful ten-year-old who had saved her spending money and helped an elderly custodian replace broken glasses.
The praise came quickly.
“What a wonderful child.”
“Her mother must be proud.”
I screenshotted that one.
Then I saved another: “This is how children should be raised.”
Ariel came into the living room carrying an apple.
“They’re saying nice things about you,” I told her.
She leaned over my shoulder.
“What are they saying about Mrs. Grunwald?”
I scrolled lower.
My smile disappeared.
Someone asked why such an elderly woman still had to work.
Another wanted to organize groceries for her.
Ariel frowned.
“She didn’t ask for any of that.”
“No.”
“Did she say she couldn’t afford food?”
“No.”
“Then why are they acting like she did?”
I locked the screen.
“Because people are filling in blanks they don’t understand.”
“Do you think Mrs. Grunwald saw this?”
I stopped.
I had no idea.
Ariel watched my face.
“You didn’t ask her?”
“No.”
“She told you she didn’t want people knowing.”
That stung.
Ten minutes later, Ariel and I were driving back to school.
“We’re going to fix something I should’ve thought about before I said yes.”
We found Mrs. Grunwald after school, pushing a cleaning cart.
She saw me and sighed.
“I wondered when you’d come.”
“I’m sorry.”
She rested both hands on the cart.
“People brought me groceries.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“Three bags.”
Ariel’s eyes widened.
“Why?”
Mrs. Grunwald looked at her gently.
