My 10-year-old daughter insisted on checking our mailbox all by herself – today I checked it myself and what I…

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“Yes!” she replied with a big smile before running out.

I also noticed other changes in her behavior. Lily, usually an open book, had become more secretive. She spent long hours in her room, and her games, usually full of laughter, took on a more serious tone.

“Lily, is everything alright?” I asked her one afternoon when I found her sitting quietly in her room, looking out the window.

“Yes, it’s fine,” she replied, but her voice lacked its usual cheerfulness.

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Her questions also became stranger. One evening, as I was tucking her in, she looked at me with large, thoughtful eyes.

“Mom, do you think people can talk to each other by letter, even if they don’t know each other well?” she asked.

“Of course, darling,” I replied, tucking a strand of hair back onto her forehead. “People can create beautiful bonds through letters.”

She nodded thoughtfully, without adding a word. The next morning, I saw her slip something into her bag before school.

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“What is it, Lily?” I asked, trying to remain detached.

“Oh, it’s just for a school project,” she said with a quick smile before running off.

My curiosity was piqued, but I didn’t want to snoop too much. However, her behavior worried me. After seven days, I couldn’t resist any longer. Lily had become very protective of the mailbox, refusing to let me open it under the pretext that it was « a secret, » which was starting to frighten me.

“Lily, why won’t you let me check the mail?” I asked her one morning while she was getting ready for school.

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“It’s a secret, Mom,” she replied, looking at me seriously. “But it’s a good secret, I promise.”

“Okay,” I said, trying to hide my concern. “I trust you, but promise me you’re not hiding anything dangerous.”