The sound of water.
My father’s voice:
“Guess what it is.”
I had simply forgotten.
That moment taught me something.
Sometimes fear can make even a beautiful memory look suspicious.
But I also understood something else.
I didn’t regret opening that door.
Because when it comes to a child’s safety, it is better to check one extra time than one time too few.
And the following Sunday, I sat outside the bathroom and listened as Emily shouted through laughter,
“It was the duck, Grandpa! I guessed it again!”
And this time, I smiled too.
