Mia Kept Saying the Dog “Brought Her a Secret” — Then the Hallway Camera Showed Where It Really Came From
Chapter 9 — Mia Gets Her Apology
Later that evening, Helen found Mia sitting beside Buddy.
“Can Grandma talk to you?”
Mia nodded.
Helen sat on the floor.
“You told me Buddy brought the envelope.”
“He did.”
“And I thought maybe you’d taken it from my cabinet.”
Mia looked down.
“You didn’t believe me.”
Helen swallowed.
“Not quickly enough.”
Mia rubbed Buddy’s ear.
“Mom checked the camera.”
“Yes.”
Helen smiled sadly.
“And the camera reminded Grandma of something she should’ve learned a very long time ago.”
Mia frowned.
“What?”
Helen thought about Nora.
At seventeen, Helen had seen one newspaper headline.
She believed it.
Then stopped listening to the person who knew what actually happened.
Forty years later, she almost did the same thing to Mia.
She saw an envelope near her granddaughter.
Assumed Mia took it.
Then treated the explanation as an excuse.
“Sometimes people decide the answer before they finish asking the question.”
Mia looked at her.
“That’s bad.”
Helen laughed.
“Yes.”
“Did you do that to Nora too?”
Helen’s smile disappeared.
“Yes.”
Mia considered it.
Then pointed toward Buddy.
“Good thing we have him.”
Helen laughed again.
“And the camera.”
“Buddy first.”
“Of course.”
