“You don’t have to give me an answer right this minute,” Ms.

Delacroix said.

I looked down at the milk jug sweating in my hand.

I thought about how many choices in this whole story had been made by grown-ups who just wanted a hassle to go away fast.

I told her I wanted to talk to Finn’s therapist and our lawyer before writing a victim-impact statement.

At the meeting the next week, Dr.

Bell reminded us that Finn shouldn’t have to carry the weight of a criminal case’s outcome.