“You don’t have to wash right now,” I told her. “You’re already okay.”
She hesitated, then looked up at me with tired eyes. “Really?”
“Really.”
She slowly nodded and, for the first time in months, set her backpack down… and stayed.
In the weeks that followed, healing wasn’t instant. Some days were quiet, others heavy. But little by little, Lily began to feel safe again.
And I learned something I’ll never forget:
Sometimes, the scariest signs aren’t loud or obvious.
