The teacher explained that the other child had said babies who need hospitals are broken.

Mason had pushed the boy’s backpack off a bench and told him not to talk about his cousin.

When I picked Mason up later, he sat beside me in the truck with his arms crossed.

“You shouldn’t have thrown his bag,” I said.

“He was mean about Hope.”

“I know.

You can tell a teacher and stand up for someone without throwing things.”

He stared at the dashboard.