My mother often said to me, “Don’t sit on Grandpa’s lap.” I never understood why. One day I ignored him and sat down anyway. Grandpa smiled, walked up to my ear and whispered, “Can you come to sleep next to me tonight? kara”

But there was something about that explanation that never convinced me.

Sometimes I noticed the worried way Mom looked at him. And every time Grandpa realized that she was watching him, she would just smile and change the subject.

That Sunday, our whole family was at Grandpa’s.

After lunch, Mom went to the kitchen.

I saw the grandfather sitting alone in his chair, I approached him and, without thinking, I went up to his lap.

“Lily!” I heard my mother screaming from the kitchen.

But it was already

Too late. Grandpa put a hand on my shoulder, leaned towards me and whispered very short:

“Can you come to sleep by my side tonight?”

I was paralyzed.

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“What?”

He just smiled.

“You don’t tell anyone yet. Especially your mother.”

At that very moment, Mom returned to the room.

“What did he tell you?”

“Nothing.”

I don’t know why I lied. But on the way back home I could no longer keep it to myself.