The courtroom went silent. Benedict cleared his throat, trying to take back control. “Your Honor, the child is clearly emotional, so if we could—”

“Let the boy speak, counsel,” Judge Leonard said, leaning over the bench.

Toby looked up at him. “My mom bought this for me after working all night. She thought I was sleeping when she brought it in, but I was awake.”

My chest went tight.

“She smiled because she knows how much I love stars and moons,” Toby went on, his voice steadying. “And then she cried in the dark, because she thought I couldn’t see her.”

I dropped my eyes to the table with a lump rising in my throat. Two years of hiding every struggle from him — and he’d been watching all of it, understanding all of it.