Nothing I had feared was real.
My daughter always begged me to let her stay with her grandfather, but after hearing a phrase she repeated, I decided to secretly return…
But the truth turned out to be much more painful.
I knelt in front of Emily and hugged her tightly. Then I looked at my father.
—There will be no more secrets. Especially not secrets that a little girl is expected to keep.
My father nodded.
—You're right. I gave her a responsibility that should never have fallen on a child.
The following week I accompanied my father to the doctor. We arranged his treatment and explained to Emily that caring for adults was not her responsibility.
We also made sure she understood that she could always tell me any secret or comment that made her feel uncomfortable.
Three months later, the finished sculpture was placed in front of the library entrance.
It depicted a girl holding an open book.
