“She was never taken off the roster,” Brenda said.

“I’ll walk down to her classroom at lunch and tell her teacher myself.”

Mr.

Vance stood and held out his hand across the table.

“I’m sorry your family put you through all of this, Clara,” Mr.

Vance said.

I shook his hand once and picked up my canvas tote.

I put the red stuffed rabbit back in the bag next to the notarized ledgers.