The next day at noon, I find myself pacing back and forth under a gigantic oak tree at the park around the corner from Grandma’s place. I was up half the night with excitement, and it was tricky arranging time for a date without Grandma Doris figuring out what’s up, but I’m here now and I’m ready. I’m wearing a flirty, swishy white sun dress and strappy wedge sandals, along with a floppy sun hat with a yellow ribbon. My hair falls in perfectly tousled red waves around my shoulders, and my dress falls to barely mid-thigh.

I look cute, but nothing can prepare me for the sight of my...