“iihat's wrong?" Nicole inquired.

“Mommy, I'm not a kind person," Austin confessed quietly.

“Why do you think that?" Nicole asked gently.

"I wanted to see you, so I pretended to obey and tricked that bad woman," Austin said. "I lied to her. It was something bad."

Nicole could see Austin was still grappling with guilt. She held his shoulders and said, "Austin, protecting yourself is not wrong. Making temporary compromises for your safety is sometimes necessary."

Austin looked puzzled. "But Roscoe said we shouldn't become bad just because others are bad."

A wrong could never turn into a right, no matter what the intention was. One cannot simply justify actions by good intentions alone. This was a lesson from Roscoe.

Sadly, Austin had only grasped the superficial meaning, missing the broader implications.

Nicole clarified, "Roscoe's words were about maintaining our integrity. Just because our circumstances force us to act, doesn't mean we become bad. In a crisis, it's essential to protect yourself first. You did more than that; you also gave Kamilah a chance. The photos you took immediately showed the experts the type of poison they were dealing with, bypassing the need for initial tests. This hastened her treatment and improved her chances of recovery. You've done an outstanding job, Austin. Do you realize how crucial your actions were?" Nicole offered these words to bolster his spirits.

Nicole had spent little time with Austin lately, and worried she might say something he wouldn't understand or that would confuse him.

Luckily, Austin was perceptive. "Mommy, I understand. I haven't done anything wrong. I will continue to confront those who do wrong and ensure they don't get away with it."

Pleased with her son's maturity, Nicole responded, "That's right, Austin. But next time, let's prioritize our safety first. We'll leave it to the adults to handle the bad people, okay?"

"I understand," Austin replied with a nod.

Then, shifting the conversation, Austin asked, "Mommy, when can we visit your mother together?"

Startled, Nicole asked, "You've seen her?"

Austin hesitated, fearing her reaction, and then clarified, "Yes. Daddy... That man took me to see her. He told me she's my grandma, your mommy."

Mixed emotions flooded Nicole. Jarrod had introduced Austin to her mother without her knowledge. She realized Jarrod had managed to bring Austin to visit her mother without crossing paths with her, likely on purpose. Jarrod was indeed quite cunning.

Austin shared, “Grandma can't talk, but she smiles at me. I tell her lots of things and she just keeps smiling."

Nicole gently stroked Austin's head and responded, "Yes, Austin, you have a wonderful way of cheering your grandma up. Next time, we'll both go visit her together."

Austin then asked, "Mommy, when can I see Roscoe? I miss him."