“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.



