To me, it was simply one of those little things that made Emily who she was.
Every Sunday evening, we had a routine. Emily would sit on the floor between my knees while I gently brushed through her long hair. We would talk about school, friends, teachers, and whatever else was happening in her twelve-year-old world.
It was our time together.
So when my mother-in-law, Linda, offered to take Emily shopping one Sunday afternoon and get ice cream afterward, I didn’t think twice.
Emily and Linda had always been close.
They had their own special relationship, and Emily loved spending time with her grandmother. I trusted them both completely.
“Have fun,” I told Emily as she headed out the door.
“I will!”
“Don’t let Grandma buy you the entire mall.”
Emily laughed.
“No promises!”
I watched them drive away, never imagining that a few hours later, my entire world would feel as though it had shifted beneath my feet.
Emily returned home around five o’clock.
The moment she walked through the door, I knew something was wrong.
“Hey, sweetheart!” I called from the kitchen. “Did you two have fun?”
She didn’t answer.