out, her face looked tense, and occasionally, her hands were trembling. The following morning, Grandpa would
barely speak to anyone. One evening, I finally asked her:
“Why do you always go into Grandpa’s bedroom after taking a shower?”
She suddenly froze.
“I’m just helping him.”
“With what?”
“That’s none of your business, Sarah.”
Emily had never spoken to me like that before.
The next day, I questioned Grandpa. He stared at me over the top of his glasses for several seconds before answering in an
unusually cold voice.
“Your sister chooses to come into my room. I don’t force her.”
His answer didn’t reassure me. It frightened me even more.
“What does she do in there?”
Grandpa’s expression changed immediately.
“You’ll find out when the time comes.”
That evening, Emily took another shower. I stood near my bedroom door and watched her walk down the hallway with her
hair still
