He looked down.
« I wanted to earn the bike myself, Mom. »
***
Six months later, there was still no bike.
« You got a job without telling me? »
Every week, when I asked how much he’d saved, he gave me the same answer.
« Almost enough. »
A week earlier, I’d walked past his bedroom and seen him shove a handful of bills into his backpack the second he noticed me.
Every week, when I asked how much he’d saved, he gave me the same answer.
Another Saturday, he came home almost two hours late with mud dried around his sneakers and a tear near one sleeve.
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