Children are not silent because nothing happened. Sometimes they are silent because they are waiting for one safe adult to ask the right question.

Brian and Marissa came back before Sunday. Not because they wanted to. Because they were told to.

I saw them in a family court hallway two days later, both dressed like people trying to look misunderstood. Brian wore a collared shirt and kept rubbing his hands together.

Marissa’s hair was pulled tight, her face pale under makeup that couldn’t hide the sleeplessness.

When she saw Mason, she took one step forward.

He moved behind me.