When Lucy came home in tears after a week of babysitting, I felt an anger I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Our smug neighbor, Mrs. Carpenter, had refused to pay Lucy, brushing it off as a “life lesson.” Determined to make things right, I devised a plan to ensure Mrs. Carpenter learned a lesson of her own.

Lucy stumbled through the front door, her face streaked with tears. The sight of her crying, something she rarely did, instantly set off alarms. My usually composed daughter looked utterly defeated, and my heart sank.

“Lucy?” I rushed over, placing my hands on her trembling shoulders. “What happened?”