«I’ll give you a million if you cure me,» smiled the billionaire… Until the child touched him…

Why not do that? Because before I built on paper, now—with hands. And only this way do I understand how much each brick costs.» Luke looked at him long.

«Something new appeared in your eyes. What? Life.» That evening, they played cards.

For the first time. Luke, two other kids, and Alexander. He lost.

But laughed. And didn’t remember when laughter was last not a defense, but a sincere response inside. The next day, he brought a project with him.

«What is this?» Mary asked. «A plan. I want to restore the homes.

First two, near the park. Then the school. Then the neighborhood.

But not skyscrapers. Real homes. For people.»

She looked at him long. Then quietly said, «People don’t need palaces.

They need faith that they won’t be evicted. That faith I took away. Now I want to return it.

He understood this was just the beginning. Returning doesn’t mean erasing. But maybe one can learn to live with it and do differently.»

That same evening, Luke sat on the windowsill, writing something in a notebook. Alexander approached. «What are you writing?»—»A list.

People to help. Who else is on the street? Who got sick? I want to gather them all. You’re still a kid.

But not stupid.» Alexander nodded. He too started keeping a list.

Only in his own notebook. Those he owed. And started with himself…

The morning began with a strange silence. No steps from Mary in the kitchen. No grumblings from her.

Even the kettle was silent. And that was scarier than any scream. Luke first noticed that grandmother hadn’t gotten up.

He approached her room. Knocked quietly. Then pushed the door.

Mary lay on her side, with a pale face and ragged breathing. Her lips were dry, skin grayish-yellow. She opened her eyes, looking somewhere past him, and whispered.

«Water.» Luke rushed to the kitchen. But his hands shook, and he almost dropped the glass.

Grandmother barely drank the water. A sip. And she closed her eyes again.

Alexander was in the basement at the time. Helping right away. When he saw Mary, his heart clenched.

Not from fear. From that feeling he once called weakness. Now he knew.

It was love. «Did you call a doctor?» he asked. The old nurse said it might be the kidney.

Possibly failure. «And we have no money, no car,» someone replied. «We have both,» said Alexander.

«Get ready.» They went as three. Him, Luke, and Mary, whom they carefully seated in the back.

On the way, the boy was silent. Just held grandmother’s hand and whispered. «You’ll get better.»

«I’ll do like with Alexander. I can.» In the hospital, everything happened quickly.

Urgent tests, stretchers, gurney. Luke didn’t step away. He tried again.

The same ritual as then in the park. The same movements, the same words. Alexander saw him take out the same box with ribbons and pebbles.

Place it at the headboard. Close his eyes. Silent.

Wait. Nothing. The doctors came out after half an hour.

A middle-aged woman with a tired but kind face looked at them. «Your grandmother’s left kidney failed. The right is on the edge too.

Needs a transplant. Urgently.» «I’ll pay.

Everything needed,» said Alexander. «Money isn’t the issue. The question is the donor.

Almost no time.» Luke stood like stone. Eyes filled with tears, but he didn’t cry.

He looked at his hands. The same ones that once healed. And now emptiness…