Robert immediately explained that Emily had spilled juice on her dress during lunch. I didn’t ask any questions. Kids do that all the time. But two days later, it happened again. And then again.
Sometimes Robert changed her clothes twice in one week. When I asked why, he always had an answer.
One time, he said Emily got dirty while playing outside. Another time, he claimed she was sweaty. Then he explained that she was uncomfortable in her T-shirt. But the strangest thing was that he immediately washed the clothes he took off.
One evening I walked into the laundry room and saw Robert hand washing only Emily’s clothes.
“Why don’t you put it in the washing machine?” I asked.
He froze for a moment. Then he lowered the clothes deeper into the water.
— Some stains cannot be removed in the washing machine.
There was something in his voice that made me wary. That night, I told Daniel everything.
“He’s just overprotective,” the husband said. “Don’t forget, he’s worked around children his whole life.”
Robert had been a school bus driver for years. Everyone in town knew and respected him. But that didn’t calm me down.
Then the strange things with bathing started.
Every evening when I was getting ready to bathe Emily, Robert would appear outside the bathroom and say:
– You’re tired. Let me bathe her myself.
The first time I refused.
The next evening he offered to help again. When I said I could handle it myself, a strange tension appeared on his face.
“It’s better if I do it,” he whispered. “Please.”
