I wanted the machinery fixed, so that the next Birdie would not have to hope she got the one teacher who wouldn’t look away.

She should get a school that was built, on purpose, to look.

Chapter 27 — The Reunion

I did not see Birdie for three weeks.

There were caseworkers and a temporary placement with an aunt across town, a careful, supervised process designed to put her safety first — which was exactly as it should have been, even though every day of it I wanted to know she was all right.

When Amanda finally called to say Bernadette had asked whether I’d come by, I was in the car before she finished the sentence.