Chapter 26 — A Safe Child Makes Noise

Spring came.

Rhys went back to baseball and played second base with his whole heart.

Mira started an after-school art class and came home with paint on her sleeves.

One Saturday I asked, with no speech about facing anything or moving on, whether they wanted to go to the park.

Rhys hesitated, looking at his shoes — and Mira leaned over and told him, softly, that they could leave the second either of them wanted, that I’d take them home immediately, no questions.