"I'm heading back to our room. Make sure she falls asleep. I know you can handle it," Mom said. I forced an innocent smile onto my face as I watched her stand in the doorway.

"Sure, I'll make sure of that," my dad replied with fatherly assurance, but there was a dark depth to his voice that only I understood. He wasn't going to sing for me or tell me bedtime stories. He was going to finish the job we started downstairs the right way.

She turned and left, closing the door behind her with a soft click. We both held our breath, listening to the sound of her footsteps...