The cabinet had been moved, a piece of candy had fallen under the bed, and the lid of the candy jar seemed to have come loose...
The woman took a deep breath.
She stood up.
She held the piece of candy she had found under the bed in one hand and the candy jar in the other.
She headed for the door.
As soon as she stepped out of the bedroom, she heard the TV blaring.
She couldn't help frowning.
She walked over to the coffee table and picked up the remote.
She turned the volume way down.
"...Mom?"
Maybe Mom had dropped it earlier?
When the candy jar hit the floor, the lid had come off on its own.
Big Boy was stunned by the question.
He really wanted to believe what Mom had said.
"Look up at me."
He instinctively glanced at the candy jar in Mom's arms.
Big Boy unconsciously hugged the pillow tighter.
The bed, underneath the bed...
"Mom—"
"Don't worry."
The woman nodded slightly.
She didn't know...
"You didn't—"
How could this be...
Several times, she had struggled with all her might and still couldn't get the candy jar's lid open.
Big Boy had never had that problem.
Rattle, rattle~
She put everything back the way it had been.
Then why was Mom holding the candy jar?
"This candy isn't for you."
Mom had even given her three pieces of candy.
"The candy jar's lid came loose, too."
The sound of candy scattering across the floor, the faint rustling of wrappers against the carpet, echoed in Big Boy's ears...
"Didn't you just have candy yesterday?"
Mom also had to go to the hospital to visit a sick friend.
In the end, Big Boy couldn't bring himself to say the rest.