Emma Was Punished for Breaking the Family Trophy — Then the Security Camera Showed the Dog Knocked It Down After Grandma Moved It Herself
Chapter 7 — Margaret Gives Emma the Apology She Actually Deserved
Later that afternoon, Margaret found Emma sitting alone on the back steps.
Buddy lay beside her.
His head rested on her shoe.
Margaret sat several feet away.
“Can I talk to you?”
Emma nodded.
Margaret looked toward Buddy.
“I’m not angry with him.”
Emma stroked the dog’s head.
“He didn’t mean it.”
Margaret smiled sadly.
“No.”
Then:
“And I don’t think you meant anything either.”
Emma frowned.
“Because I didn’t do it.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Right.”
She started again.
“You didn’t break the trophy.”
“You didn’t touch it.”
“You didn’t knock the table.”
“You walked into the room after it was already on the floor.”
Emma nodded.
Margaret continued.
“I saw you nearby and decided you must have done it.”
“Then when you told me the truth, I didn’t listen.”
Emma looked toward her.
Margaret swallowed.
“That was wrong.”
Then:
“I am sorry.”
Emma remained quiet.
Margaret did not say:
But I was stressed.
She did not say:
But you have knocked things over before.
She did not say:
But the trophy meant a lot to me.
All of those statements might explain parts of her thinking.
None belonged inside the apology.
Emma finally asked:
“Do you believe me now?”
Margaret nodded.
“About the trophy, completely.”
Emma thought.
Then:
“Next time?”
Margaret smiled faintly.
“Next time I will ask what happened before I decide.”
Emma looked toward Buddy.
“Even if he does it?”
Margaret laughed quietly.
“Especially if he’s in the room.”
