Joyce wasn’t looking her usual playful self. She marched straight toward Jacee with a determined, almost mischievous look in her eyes. Jacee, still giggling and unaware of what was about to happen, reached out to grab another handful of water. Then it happened. In one sudden movement, Joyce pushed forward, making direct contact with little Jacee and sending him tumbling into the pond.
The splash was loud, startling the birds nearby. Jacee’s happy squeals instantly turned into cries of surprise and shock. His tiny hands flailed for a moment as he tried to regain balance in the shallow water. It wasn’t deep enough to be dangerous, but for a little one like Jacee, it was scary—and very, very wet.
“Oh God! Joyce! What are you doing?!” came the voice of their caretaker, who had been just a few steps away. In two quick strides, the caretaker scooped Jacee out of the water, wrapping him in a towel and checking to make sure he was okay. Thankfully, apart from being shaken and dripping wet, Jacee was unharmed.
The caretaker turned to Joyce, still in disbelief. “Why did you do that?!” The tone was stern but full of confusion. Joyce stood there, looking both guilty and stubborn, as if she wasn’t entirely sure why she’d acted that way—or maybe she knew exactly why but didn’t want to say.
Jacee clung to the caretaker, shivering slightly but already calming down. His big eyes looked up, not quite understanding why Joyce had done something so sudden and mean. The whole scene left everyone wondering—was it an accident? A prank gone too far? Or just one of those moments where emotions take over?
After a few minutes, Joyce seemed to soften. She walked closer, reaching out a hand toward Jacee, almost as if to say sorry in her own quiet way. The caretaker sighed, realizing that while the act had been wrong, it was likely just an impulsive burst of rough play rather than true harm.
Jacee, still wrapped in his towel, hesitated, then gave Joyce a small nod. Forgiveness came quickly for the little ones, even after a sudden scare.
