I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because I want him to see what he did.”
I retrieved Ethan’s bucket from the pantry. Michael tipped the remaining candy into a bowl and took the empty plastic pumpkin.
Before he left, I stopped him.
“Michael, getting the candy back isn’t the only thing that matters.”
“I know.”
“The boys think Grandpa is angry with them for wanting it.”
Michael’s face tightened.
“I’ll talk to him.”
After he drove away, I went upstairs to check on the twins.
Ethan was asleep, but Owen was sitting up in bed.
“Mom?”
“What’s wrong?”
He hesitated.
“Grandpa won’t stop taking us places, will he?”
I sat beside him.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because Ethan complained.”
There it was again.
Both boys were worried about losing their grandfather’s affection because they’d objected to something unfair.
“Listen to me,” I said. “You never have to give someone your things to make them love you.”
