Covering for Someone
"There won't be a next time."
Juzi promised.
The old woman nodded slightly.
What a good mother.
She smiled and waved.
"All right."
"Now that Bao Bao's mom is here, I'll be on my way."
"Thank you."
Juzi thanked her again.
"Goodbye."
"Bao Bao, say goodbye to Grandma."
Juzi reminded the child.
The child came back to herself.
She beamed at the old woman.
"Thank you, Grandma."
Thank you for helping her lie.
After hearing what the old woman had said, she'd been surprised, relieved, and happy all at once.
Her emotions were incredibly complicated.
"...Goodbye."
"You're welcome."
The old woman winked at the child again.
"Goodbye."
This time, the old woman really did turn to leave.
Juzi didn't question what the child had said.
Instead, she approvingly patted the child's head.
She'd overlooked that.
The child had wanted to thank the old woman.
The old woman had come over to comfort a crying child...
That kindness alone was worth thanking her for.
Juzi hadn't expected that the child, whom she'd had to remind to say goodbye to the old woman, would think of thanking her on her own...
Juzi felt quite gratified.
"Bao Bao really is a good child."
The child blinked.
Then she smiled.
Mom had praised her.
That made her very happy.
"...You didn't wait outside the school the whole time that day?"
Juzi was astonished.
She remembered what the child was talking about.
After all, it counted as one of the little mistakes she'd made.
Even now, she could still remember some of the fear and worry she'd felt back then.
She just hadn't expected...
There'd been more to the story?!
Her child had lied to her.
"Why did you lie to me?"