The judge considered medical records, sworn statements, and information obtained through a child-sensitive process supervised by qualified professionals.

Dr.

Hall, the psychologist working with Maya, warned us not to turn her recovery into proof of a legal argument.

“Art can help her express feelings,” she said.

“It is not a substitute for careful evidence gathering, and we should not interpret every drawing as a literal account.”

I appreciated her for saying it, even though part of me had wanted every mark on every page to reveal a perfect answer.

Childhood was not a transcript.