“Inside this envelope is a token of our gratitude,” Hawk said, his voice steady but warm. “You didn’t hesitate to help a stranger in need, and that means more to us than you could imagine.”
Sienna took the envelope, her hands shaking slightly, unsure whether from the chill in the air or the surreal situation unfolding before her eyes. The envelope felt unusually heavy, and the weight of it in her hands seemed to symbolize the gravity of her decision the night before.
Hawk nodded as if to reassure her, and she slowly peeled open the envelope. Inside was a stack of crisp bills—many times more than the $8 she had spent, enough to cover rent several times over, fill her fridge, and maybe even allow for a few small luxuries she and Maya had gone without for too long.
