Wasn't the old lady's remark just an outright accusation that her child had stolen this elderly woman's pet?
"Please look."
The woman pointed at the child's pocket, then looked up and gestured for the people around them to look too. "Take a look. Does it look like there's anything in this pocket?"
She reached out and pressed hard on the pocket.
Its flat, empty appearance proved her point.
The onlookers nodded one after another.
Only the old woman looked heartbroken. "Hey, be gentle. Be gentle, you're hurting it."
When the woman tried to press the pocket again, the young boy twisted away. "Mom, it hurts."
"Did Mommy hurt you?"
The woman looked concerned.
"It's okay. It only hurt a little just now."
The young boy tugged his pocket flat and discreetly felt the bulge inside with his fingers.
"Let's go."
The woman took her child by the hand and started to leave.
She no longer wanted to keep talking to this old lady, who was clearly getting a little senile.
It was Christmas, for goodness' sake. She had no time to waste here.
"Wait."
Grandma blocked the young boy's path. "Give Little Guy back to me."
Her cloudy eyes moved back and forth between the young boy's face and the pocket of his top.
This time, she would keep a close eye on him and wouldn't let the boy move Little Guy somewhere else again.
The young boy seemed startled and hid behind the woman.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
The woman shouted. "Are you going to keep this up forever?"
"You're the one who won't let this go."
Grandma's expression turned stern. Her sharp gaze fixed on the young boy hiding behind the woman. "You're trying to steal my Little Guy, aren't you?"
"Little Guy is