“Mom, I didn’t steal anything!” he blurted.
I stopped beside him.
“What happened?”
Ivy pointed at the bag.
“Your son took my belongings without permission!”
Joel shook his head desperately.
“She threw them away!”
“Joel, calm down,” I said gently. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
He swallowed.
“I saw some cardboard beside Mrs. Ivy’s garbage cans. I thought I could use it for something I’m making.”
Ivy stepped forward.
“Those were my things!”
I looked at her.
“Then let’s check what’s inside. If Joel accidentally took anything valuable, we’ll return it.”
“Everything in that bag belongs to me!”
I nodded.
“Fine. We’ll look together.”
I took the bag from Joel.
Then I carefully emptied its contents onto the sidewalk.
Pieces of cardboard fell out.
Fabric scraps scattered across the pavement.
Then a man’s shirt slipped from the pile.
Something caught in its sleeve struck the concrete with a small metallic sound.
