Leo, my son, has the kindest heart of anyone I know.
He notices the small things—the ones most people overlook. So when he overheard our elderly neighbor, Mrs. Patterson, casually mentioning her upcoming birthday to the mailman, he turned to me with urgency in his eyes.
“We have to do something for her,” he insisted.
I hesitated. We weren’t particularly close to Mrs. Patterson. She mostly kept to herself, and I wasn’t sure if she’d even want a surprise. But Leo was resolute. “Mom, everyone deserves a birthday cake.”
So, we baked. A simple chocolate cake, slightly lopsided but full of love. Leo made a birthday card, adorning it with a bright sun and stick figures of the three of us. Just before dinner, we knocked on her door.
At first, there was no response. Leo shifted, looking disappointed. But just as we were about to turn back, the door creaked open. Mrs. Patterson peered at us through her thick glasses.
Leo beamed. “Happy Birthday!” he declared, holding up the cake.