"You should apologize to the child, and then we can let this matter go."
Child's Dad thought he was already being generous enough.
But—
"Apologize?"
The old woman's voice rose.
"You should be the ones apologizing to my granddaughter!"
Child's Dad froze.
Then his expression darkened.
Child's Mom pulled the child behind her and stood beside Child's Dad.
She looked astonished.
She could hardly believe it.
"You want us to apologize?"
"Are you getting old and losing your mind?"
Under normal circumstances, she would never have said something so harsh.
But...
Her child was her one sore spot.
No one was allowed to bully her child in front of her.
"Anyone with eyes could see that you pushed my child just now."
There was a sharp edge to Child's Mom's voice.
"You almost made him fall."
"Do you know what would have happened if he really had fallen?"
"Could you have taken responsibility for that?"
Child's Mom's questions pierced the old woman's heart like a blade.
Her gaze was like a sharp knife, too... stinging the old woman's eyes.
Before the old woman could speak, Child's Mom declared firmly, "No."
"You couldn't have taken responsibility!"
The old woman fell silent for a few seconds.
Just like before, Child's Mom's forceful presence stunned her again.
But she soon shook off the pressure.
She glared, eyes wide.
"Why don't you ask your son what he did first?"
"What did he do?"
Child's Mom asked, undaunted.
"Whatever he did, that doesn't give you the right to—"
"He used a snake to scare my granddaughter!"
The old woman unconsciously stamped her foot.
"?!"
For a moment, Child's Mom thought she had misheard.
"A snake?"
"That's right!"
The old woman was worked up.
"He used a