He had been removed from the boys’ care, and the medical group reviewing his practice requested relevant records.

Whether any criminal charges would follow remained uncertain.

Meanwhile, Mason and Owen began making small gains.

Their weight stabilized under clinical supervision.

Owen could concentrate long enough to complete half a puzzle without drifting away.

Mason laughed so loudly at a cartoon that a nurse poked her head into the room to see what had happened.

But recovery wasn’t a straight line.

One morning Mason became dizzy after breakfast and cried because he thought the illness was coming back.