Barry turned eight today. I wanted to make it special, but special costs money, and money is something we just don’t have right now.
Still, I scraped together enough for a small dinner at the local diner. Nothing fancy—just burgers and fries. He didn’t complain. He never does.
When the waitress asked if we wanted dessert, I glanced at the menu, my stomach knotting at the prices. Barry noticed. Before I could say anything, he shook his head. “I’m full,” he said quickly.
I knew he wasn’t.
That’s when the man at the next table spoke up. “Excuse me, ma’am.”
I looked up. He wore a ranger’s uniform, his badge catching the light. J.M. Timmons, it read.
He smiled. “Mind if I get the birthday boy some cake?”
I hesitated, my pride fighting with my reality. But before I could answer, Barry surprised us both.
“No, thank you, sir.” His voice was polite but firm.
Timmons raised an eyebrow. “You sure, kid? It’s your birthday.”
Barry nodded, pressing his lips together. “I wanna save the wish.”
Silence hung between us.
“The wish?” the ranger asked gently.
Barry glanced at me before looking down. “Last year, I wished for a bike,” he mumbled. “Didn’t get one.” He swallowed. “This year, I wanna wait until I know it’ll come true.”
My heart broke right there in that tiny diner.
Timmons was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled. “Well, kid,” he said, standing up, “I think I can help with that.”
Before I could say anything, the ranger pulled out his wallet and left a crisp bill on the table. “For the cake. And whatever wish comes with it.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head. “It’s my treat.”
Barry looked up at me, his big brown eyes full of uncertainty. “It’s okay, Mama?”
I swallowed my pride. Sometimes, kindness is meant to be accepted. I nodded. “It’s okay, baby.”
The waitress, who had been standing nearby, wiped her hands on her apron and grinned. “One chocolate cake coming right up.”
Barry sat still as the slice of cake was placed in front of him, a single candle flickering on top. He stared at it for a long time, his little hands in his lap.
Timmons crouched down next to him. “Go on, kid. Make that wish.”
Barry took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and whispered something under his breath before blowing out the candle. The little flame flickered and disappeared, and for a moment, I thought that was the end of it. Just a nice gesture from a kind stranger.
But then Timmons stood. “If you two don’t mind, I’d like you to wait here for a bit.”
I frowned. “For what?”
He grinned. “For a little birthday surprise.”