Dad was upstairs.
Grandpa looked unusually serious.
“Emily,” he said quietly, “can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
He looked toward the staircase before stepping closer.
“Will you sleep beside me tonight?”
I stared at him.
I honestly thought I had misunderstood.
“What?”
“Tonight,” he repeated. “At my house.”
My stomach tightened.
Then he said something that made it worse.
“Please don’t tell your father yet.”
I took one step backward.
“Grandpa… why?”
His eyes suddenly filled with something I couldn’t understand.
Fear.
