Every afternoon, Jake would take his little sister into a small room upstairs.
He would close the door.
Sometimes I could hear Lily crying inside.
And whenever I walked upstairs, their conversations would immediately stop.
One afternoon, I stood outside the door and heard Jake speaking in a stern voice.
“I told you not to move! If you get up now, we’ll have to start everything all over again!”
“But I’m tired,” Lily sobbed.
“Just hold on a little longer. And remember, not one word to Grandma.”
My heart began pounding.
The following morning, I took Lily into my arms and gently asked her a question.
“Sweetheart, is your brother making you do something you don’t want to do?”
The little girl lowered her head.
“Jake says it’s our secret.”
“What secret, sweetheart?”
She remained silent for a long time.
Then she whispered something that sent a chill down my spine.
