“They didn’t hear me.”

I knelt as carefully as my balance allowed.

“You were right to ask for help.

The adults should have listened.

Nothing about that night was your job to fix.”

For several days, Piper wanted to sleep in my room.

Her pediatrician recommended a child therapist familiar with traumatic events and emphasized predictable routines, reassurance, and allowing her to share feelings without pressure.

We made a plan.