Jake explained that he had been tracing Lily’s hands onto paper to make little fabric handprints for the bear.
“She kept moving, so I had to start over. Yesterday, she sat on the floor too long, and her leg went numb. That’s why she said it hurt.”
He showed me the two tiny handprints sewn into the fabric.
“We wanted you to have something from both of us.”
I couldn’t speak.
Then I remembered his frightening words.
“Jake, what did
your mother tell you never to tell me?”
He took a deep breath.
“She said we shouldn’t mention hearing you cry at night because it was private. But I heard you telling Grandpa how lonely you were.”
His voice broke.
“I got scared, Grandma. I wanted to make you happy again.”
I wrapped my arms around him.
For days, I had feared the worst, never imagining that behind that closed door, two children were secretly trying to comfort me.
