Inside the envelope was a simple, elegant card, but it was what lay within that card that turned Vanessa’s expression from smug satisfaction to utter disbelief. Nestled inside was a handmade voucher, lovingly crafted by Jacob himself. It read: “A Day of Kindness from Jacob. Redeemable for one act of kindness—no chores attached.”
Emily had known about this project for weeks. Jacob had been working on it as part of a school assignment about gratitude and kindness. It was a gesture meant to promote empathy and understanding, something that Emily had always tried to instill in him. She hadn’t expected him to save one for Vanessa, but there it was—a gesture that spoke volumes about the kind of person her son was becoming.
The silence in the yard was palpable. Vanessa blinked, clearly unsure how to respond. Her carefully constructed facade began to crumble. Mark shifted uncomfortably, and for a fleeting moment, Emily saw a flicker of something in his eyes—recognition, perhaps, of the values they had once shared before everything went awry.
