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When a Grandmother’s Instinct Refused to Stay Silent
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“Mom, leave her alone.”
Melissa stepped in quickly, her smile tight and rehearsed. “She’s sensitive,” she said. “If we give her attention, she gets more upset. Please don’t interfere.”
I stepped back, respecting their words, but my unease did not fade. Lily’s hands were clenched in her lap. She stayed seated while the rest of the children played. She didn’t laugh. She didn’t move toward the pool. She simply sat there, quiet and apart, as if trying to take up as little space as possible.
That kind of stillness in a child is hard to ignore.
A Private Moment That Changed Everything
Later, I went inside to use the bathroom. The house was quiet, the kind of silence that makes you aware of every footstep. When I turned around, Lily was standing in the doorway.
