Benjamin felt a discomfort stir in his chest, something he had learned to ignore long ago. He had grown up without luxury himself, though success had taught him to seal those memories behind reinforced walls.
“And you think I am the one to ask,” he said, not unkindly, but guarded.
She nodded. “You looked like someone who might listen.”
Something about the way she said it disarmed him, not dramatic or pleading, but honest, as though she had already accepted the possibility of refusal.
“What is your name,” he asked.
“My name is Nora Bellamy,” she replied. “My brother is Elliot. He is three.”
Benjamin exhaled slowly and glanced at his watch. He was already late. Yet his feet did not move.
“All right,” he said at last. “Come with me.”
Her eyes widened, disbelief flickering across her face as she followed him into the nearby grocery store. The cashier stared openly as Benjamin selected milk, bread, fruit, and several warm items, placing them carefully into a reusable bag.
When he handed the bag to Nora, she clutched it as if it contained something far more valuable than food.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I will repay you one day. I promise.”