“Adele, this is too much.”
“Noah bought it.”
“I earned most of it,” he corrected.
Then he added quickly, “And I won’t skip lunch again.”
Hannah knelt and hugged him.
Twenty minutes later, Lucy came outside wearing the dress.
Noah had been right.
The moment she discovered the skirt could spin, she grabbed both sides and twirled.
She laughed.
Noah laughed even harder.
Hannah wiped tears from her eyes.
And near the fence, my mother-in-law watched silently.
The next morning, Noah came running into our bedroom.
“Mom! Dad! Come outside!”
I followed him onto the porch.
Then I stopped.
Our entire front lawn was covered with lunchboxes.
At least fifty.
Dinosaurs. Superheroes. Bright colors. Old metal boxes. Brand-new insulated bags.
They stretched almost all the way to the sidewalk.
“Are these mine?” Noah asked.
“I have absolutely no idea.”
Then he noticed the biggest lunchbox.
A white card was taped to the lid.
OPEN THIS FIRST
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“Noah, wait,” I warned.
Too late.
He opened it.
Inside were bundles of cash, a work badge, a key, and a wedding photograph.
His face went pale.
“Mom…”
