I laughed before I could stop myself.
Daisy gave him a small smile.
“That was smart,” she told him.
His face immediately brightened.
After they went home, Daisy spread the towel across her bed and carefully flattened each corner.
“Do I have to forgive her?” she asked.
“No.”
“Yes, darling.”
The next week at school, Evan raised his hand during reading group before I had called on anyone.
Then he stood, held the book in both hands, and read an entire page without once hiding his face behind it.
He struggled with one word, corrected himself, and continued.
When he finished, the class applauded, and he smiled proudly. It still amazed me how naturally children carried kindness inside them.
As everyone lined up for lunch, he placed a folded note on my desk.
“It’s from my dad,” he whispered.
Thank you for teaching him courage. He taught us some too.
