Lily was sitting at a restaurant table.
My father asked her:
“May I touch your hand?”
My daughter nodded.
He gently touched her palm with one finger.
“How does that feel?”
“Okay.”
“Would you like to continue?”
“Only my hand, Grandpa.”
“All right. Only your hand.”
Then my daughter smiled.
“Grandpa, I wasn’t scared today.”
I began sobbing.
My father stopped the video.
“Lily asked to try, Margaret. We agreed that she could say ‘stop’ at any moment, and I would stop immediately.”
“And what about the restaurants and presents?”
My father lowered his head.
“I wanted to make her happy, and I foolishly presented those things as rewards. But physical contact should never be a condition for receiving a present. I understand that now.”
At that moment, my phone rang.
It was Daniel.
“Margaret, Lily wants to talk to you.”
I answered the video call.
My daughter looked into the camera.
