Tale 5: The star

It was a sunny Saturday morning and Mrs Dalva, as usual, came to get dressed. When she got home, she would put on her apron, pick up the basket, and then start folding the clothes, separating them into piles on the kitchen table. She had worked at home for years and had confidence in herself.

- Mrs Dalva, I need to get out. I'll go to the mall with Victor!

- Calm down, honey, if you finish before you go back, I'll lock the door and leave the key under the rug.

Victor kept running around the house with his dog. They played the whole time. I went to the door and called him:

- Victor, come on! Stop running, let's go!

- I'm going! Let's play some more!

-No! Stop and come here, quick! What have we talked about?

- All right, mom... - he muttered.

He came grumpy and gaves me his hand. I opened and then closed the gate, walked a few steps on the sidewalk toward the car, and an inner voice spoke to me:

- Come back!

I kept walking ... and again:

- Come back! Come! – The voice cried.

And... unexpectedly I stepped on a huge turd! Gross!

- Mom, you have to be more careful! – Victor rebuked me.

- How did I not see this before?! – I answered irritably. - I'm going back to wash my shoe with the backyard hose!

Before that, I rubbed my sole on a bush on the sidewalk. When I opened the gate, I saw Mrs. Dalva running through the kitchen. How strange... she seemed to be covering up something...

Did she find it? No, it is not possible that she found what I was hiding!

I threw my shoes on the grass and rushed worried to the kitchen. I stopped at the entrance, shocked. I saw the most grotesque scene of my life: hundreds of bills scattered throughout the kitchen. There was money on the table, sink, stove, and Mrs. Dalva was picking up handfuls of bills and hiding them in her clothes and in her apron. At the same time, some bills were falling to the floor.

Victor looked puzzled! It was an incredible scene!

- Mrs Dalva! You're robbing me! – I shouted.

- No! It was already there! - She said, startled.

- How was it? I did not leave money scattered around the house!

I had hidden an envelope with money in the bottom of a drawer, in a piece of furniture that was in the hallway on the other side of the house. I had been saving money for over a year. How did she find it? No one knew the money was there!

- After everything I've done for you! How dare did you steal that from me? – I continued to rave. - I'm calling the police! We're going to the police station!

- No, no! After being old I do not want to go through this shame! - She begged.

- I want my money back.

I began to pick it up. I got it all and put it back in the envelope.

"Glad I got my money back," I thought relieved.

- Count it! - The same voice said.

I counted it and some money was missing!

- Mrs. Dalva, some money is missing! I'll go to the backyard and you throw that money anywhere!

I did so because I thought she would be ashamed to give it back. I walked around the yard for a while and came back. She left some of the money on the table, another part on the dresser, and the rest in the laundry basket in the bathroom. She returned everything.

I sighed, tried to calm myself down. I went back to the kitchen and sat down on a chair near her.

- I've helped you so much! – and I continued: - How dare you? What did you do that for?

- I don't know. I was ironing clothes and a voice told me: "Open the last drawer and get the envelope from the bottom." I got it and it had money! I needed it...

- You were stealing...

She started to cry.

- You helped me a lot; you gave my grandson shoes, clothes, and toys. You're so good! Please forgive me... – She pleaded, trying to wipe away her tears with her sleeves.

I began to feel sorry. Tears streamed down my face.

- I forgive you!

- How could you forgive me so fast?! "I learned to forgive!" I thought, surprised and happy at the same time.

- Do you really forgive me? Really? ��� She asked with concern.

- I forgive you! From the heart!

- Can I die in peace?

- Yes, you can. You are forgiven. Stay calm ... you can go in peace! –I said, intrigued.

I paid the day and she left.

A month went by. I got the news. Mrs. Dalva went to heaven.

Everything that happened flew like a movie through my head. I felt peace for having released forgiveness. Now I understand the importance of forgiving and being forgiven.