“Please don’t make it worse.”
Those six words changed everything.
I knelt beside her so we were at the same height.
“Listen carefully. Nobody has the right to hurt you. Not Patricia. Not Teresa. Not Bianca. Nobody. Do you understand?”
She nodded, but tears had begun to collect in her eyes.
“You’re not in trouble,” I told her. “And you’re not going to be left alone with anyone who hurts you.”
I helped her empty the bucket. Then I made sure the front door was locked, checked the other rooms, and brought her a clean towel and a warm blanket.
I did not confront anyone over the phone.
I did not announce that I knew what was happening.
Instead, I made a decision that would shape everything that followed.
I would listen to my daughter. I would preserve the truth. And I would make certain that no one had the opportunity to frighten her into silence again.
