Elliot never once did this.

He asked for nothing back.

He sat in the chair.

And because he asked for nothing, because he made our fear entirely safe to have in front of him, it slowly stopped needing to be defended and began, at last, to dissolve.

You cannot rush a frightened child into trust, and you cannot demand her gratitude for your patience, and the moment you do either, you have shown her that your safety, too, has conditions.

Elliot’s safety had no conditions.