One by one, the group handed over their contributions. The teenage boy muttered, “This is all I’ve got,” as he slid a few crumpled bills onto the counter. The young mother added hers, the older man his, and finally, the woman in the cardigan pulled out a neatly folded twenty and placed it on top.
“There,” the older woman said with a smile, patting Jacob lightly on the arm. “All set.” The cashier rang up the total, handing Jacob the receipt and his bagged items. Jacob stood there for a moment, clutching the bags tightly, unsure of what to say.