Alice loved her mother’s birthday dinners, but this year was different—Grandpa Ted wasn’t there. Alice missed him and couldn’t understand why he hadn’t been invited. During dinner, she asked, “Why isn’t Grandpa Ted here?” Her mother, Lisa, reacted sharply, saying he wouldn’t be coming for a long time. Alice, confused and sad, excused herself and retreated to her room.

She couldn’t stop thinking about her grandfather, who had always made her feel special. She remembered overhearing her parents talking about Ted needing money for medicine. Determined to help, Alice broke her piggy bank, gathered her savings, and snuck out to visit him.

At Grandpa Ted’s house, Alice handed him the money, hoping it would help him get better. Ted, touched by her gesture, admitted that while the money wouldn’t cure him, her love meant the world. He explained that he had hurt her mother by using money she gave him to buy alcohol instead of getting better. Alice’s heart ached as she listened, realizing that forgiveness was what her family needed most.

When Alice’s parents arrived, her mother was furious, but Alice pleaded with her to help Grandpa. Moved by her daughter’s kindness, Lisa softened and offered to help Ted with his medication—on the condition that he stayed sober. Ted agreed, and in that moment, a small spark of hope for their family’s healing was ignited. Alice knew she had done the right thing, bringing love and forgiveness back into their lives.