One afternoon, David came over alone.
He carried a check.
I frowned.
“What is
that?”
“Eight hundred dollars.”
The computer.
I stared.
“No.”
“For Ethan.”
“No.”
“He sold something he worked for.”
“His choice.”
“To help my family.”
“Still his choice.”
David looked frustrated.
“I need to repay him.”
I understood.
Pride.
Fatherhood.
Debt.
I said:
“Ask him.”
He did.
Ethan refused.
David pushed.
Ethan said:
“If you pay me back, then I sold it for nothing.”
David frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
“It makes sense to me.”
Then Ethan thought.
“Can you do something else?”
“What?”
“Buy Lily a telescope when she’s better.”
David’s face broke.
Not if.
When.
Hope disguised as a shopping plan.
He nodded.
“Deal.”
The check disappeared.
Months later, the fundraising total passed $40,000.
Not because Ethan kept promoting aggressively.
Because the story had spread.
All use was now documented.
Some directly supported the Monroes.
