Instead of walking away, Dad calmly took the microphone. With steady warmth in his voice, he asked Taylor if she would honor him with a dance. Shocked, she eventually agreed. As they moved across the floor, Dad spoke gently to her, and I saw tears gather in her eyes. Later, I learned why. Taylor had lost her own father years ago and carried that pain in silence. Her cruelty had been a shield for her grief. My dad’s compassion broke through it.
