“But Grandma said I ruined the magic.”

I kept my breathing even. “What were her exact words, Mia?”

She looked at the bubbles near her toes. “She said I was draining everyone’s happiness. She said if I couldn’t smile properly, I could stay with the parked cars until I remembered how to be grateful.”

I closed my eyes and allowed myself exactly one second of murderous thought. Then I put it away.

“Grandma was wrong,” I said. “The most important job a grown-up has is keeping a child safe. She didn’t keep you safe. She broke the rule. You didn’t.”

Mia searched my face, working out whether she was allowed to accept it.