Margaret had helped Emily find a medical assistance program, and Emily had begged her to keep the diagnosis a secret, promising that she would tell us soon.
“But why were you avoiding your father?”
My daughter lowered her head.
“Dad always wanted me to run and exercise with him. I knew how proud he was of me. I was afraid that if he found out something was wrong with my back, he’d be disappointed.”
“And the physical education classes?”
“The doctor told me to avoid certain exercises until my next evaluation. Grandma promised to help sort things out at school, but I was too embarrassed to explain everything to Dad. And some kids noticed my brace in the changing room and started laughing at me.”
Suddenly, everything made sense.
The oversized black clothes.
The way she avoided hugs.
The crying at night.
The way she stayed away from her father.
