time, he no longer
looked stern. He had one arm around Emily and was trying to hide his tears.
“I thought I was protecting my family,” he said. “But my silence nearly caused all of you even more pain.”
I looked at my sister and felt ashamed of the terrible thoughts that had crossed my mind.
Everything that had seemed disturbing and frightening to me had actually been my sister’s selfless attempt to save our grandfather’s life.
A few months later, Emily graduated from nursing school.
Before accepting her diploma, she looked toward Grandpa, who was sitting in the front row.
He rose to his feet and applauded louder than anyone else in the room.
That day, he wrapped his arms around Emily and told her:
“You aren’t only my granddaughter. You’re the reason I’m still here today.”
Now, whenever I look at our old photograph, I no longer see
