My brother and I got into a deep conversation a few hours ago. He told me that when he was 11 a guy tried to grab him from a bathroom. He and my dad were at a restaurant, he went to the bathroom, a guy came in, fondled him, flashed a gun and told him he had to go with him or he'd shoot our parents. He said right as they were walking toward the door another guy walked in and so D (my brother) bolted. He said he just ran back to the table and never said anything. He said he was scared if he said anything the guy would shoot our dad.

I am so angry and so sad for him right now. He just turned 28. I can't believe that he's held this in so long. He's autistic but extremely high functioning. Suddenly so much of his social phobia, his anxiety, his mistrust of people and everything makes so much more sense.

I also feel horrible because I had to go to work. I wanted to call in so bad just to stay and sit with him but right now if I miss a day then we are going to have to choose if we want the electric shut off or the water.

He wouldn't let me tell our mom. He says he's ashamed and doesn't want anyone to know. He's freaking 28 and he's like 6 foot and 275 pounds and crawled into my lap to cry. He hasn't done that since he was little. I just sat there and rocked him and stroked his hair and told him it wasn't his fault.

I protected him from family but I couldn't protect him from the world. I feel like I failed him. I should have known. I've asked over the years but from some reason until tonight he wasn't ready to talk about it. I should have seen it but I didn't.