Ben, Max, and Leo are almost three. They play in Ben's kitchen. It is warm and bright. On the table sits a bowl of red apples.
Ben claps. “One apple is gone!”
Max looks close. “We will be kid detectives,” he says.
Leo nods. “We look for clues.”
They walk slow. They see tiny wet dots on the floor.
Max points. “Drop, drop. Like a trail.”
They follow the dots to the sink. In the sink is a small blue cup. The cup has apple bits inside.
Leo giggles. “Apple took a bath!”
Ben sniffs the air. “I smell soap.”
Max looks up. On the chair is Ben's little brother, Sam, almost two. Sam has a red cheek. He holds a clean apple. It shines.
Sam smiles. “Wash,” he says.
Ben laughs. “Sam did not take it to hide. Sam washed it!”
Leo pats Sam's arm. “Good wash.”
Max says, “Case closed. We share.”
They cut the apple in three small slices. Crunch, crunch. They sit close and smile.
Moral: When you look for clues with kind hearts, you can find the truth and share joy.
