Chương 10
He did not.
A staff member brought apple slices, crackers, cheese, and a small cup of yogurt.
Wren stared at the tray.
“You can eat,” Julian said.
She did not move.
Dr. Patel, who had remained in the doorway, said, “You don’t have to finish it.”
Wren looked at her.
“You can have what feels good to your stomach.”
“What if I eat all of it?”
“Then you eat all of it.”
“What if I want more?”
“We’ll get more.”
Wren’s eyes moved to Julian.
He nodded.
She picked up one cracker.
She ate it slowly.
Then another.
By the fourth, she was eating faster.
Julian noticed and deliberately looked away.
The last thing she needed was another adult watching her mouth.
He focused on Desmond instead.
The boy had stopped folding his ruler.
“You hungry?”
Desmond shrugged.
“Take something.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Julian knew the answer was probably a lie.
He did not challenge it.
Dr. Patel excused herself to make the report.
After she left, Wren ate most of the cheese and half the yogurt.
She pushed the apple slices toward Desmond.
“You can have these.”
Desmond took one.
“Thanks.”
Julian sat back and watched them.
His phone vibrated.
Corinne.
He let it ring out.
A text appeared almost immediately.
Please tell me what the doctor said.
Julian stared at the words.
Then another message came.
I am not asking you to forgive me.
He put the phone facedown on his knee.
Desmond saw the name on the screen.
“Is Mom coming?”
“No.”
“Does she know?”
“Not yet.”
Desmond looked at Wren.
She was scraping yogurt from the corner of the cup.
Julian lowered his voice.
“Dr. Patel has to make a report.”
Desmond’s face tightened.
“To who?”
“Child protective services.”
The boy stopped chewing.
“Are they going to take us?”
“I don’t know.”
Julian saw panic begin in his eyes.
“But listen to me.”
Desmond did.
“I am going to tell them the truth.”
“That Mom hit her?”
“Yes.”
“And the pantry?”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
Julian frowned.
“What about you?”
Desmond looked down.
“The food.”
“You were helping your sister eat.”
“I stole it.”
Julian almost corrected him immediately.
Then he stopped.
Desmond needed truth, not reflexive absolution.
“You took food without permission.”
The boy nodded.
“You also did it because you thought Wren wasn’t getting enough to eat.”
Another nod.
“Both things can be true.”
Desmond’s eyes filled.
“Are they going to think I’m bad?”
“No.”
Julian paused.
“I don’t think so.”
Desmond wiped his eyes.
“You always add stuff now.”
“What stuff?”
“Like ‘I don’t think so’ and ‘probably.’”
Julian gave a tired breath that was almost a laugh.
“I’m trying not to lie to you.”
“I liked it better before.”
“I know.”
That earned a small, unwilling smile.
Then Desmond looked away.
Wren finished the yogurt.
“Can I have another cracker?”
Julian pushed the tray closer.
“You don’t have to ask me every time.”
She froze.
He realized immediately that the sentence had been too broad.
“Here.”
He tapped the tray.
“You can eat anything on this tray without asking.”
Wren looked relieved.
Rules.
Clear ones.
Temporary ones.
Julian felt sick again.
The door opened.
A woman Julian had never seen before stepped in behind Dr. Patel.
She wore a gray cardigan, black slacks, and an identification badge clipped near her shoulder.
She introduced herself as Emily Ross.
Julian stood.
“What agency?”
“County child protective services.”
His heart sank at the speed of it.
Dr. Patel said, “She happened to be nearby and was able to respond.”
Emily gave a small apologetic smile.
“I know that can feel abrupt.”
Julian nodded.
It did.
She looked at the children.
“Would it be okay if I talked to Dad first?”
Wren immediately reached for Julian’s hand.
Emily noticed.
“We can do it however makes everyone most comfortable.”
Julian sat back down.
“You can talk here.”
Emily pulled the extra chair away from the wall.
She did not open a notebook immediately.
That made Julian trust her slightly more, which annoyed him.
She asked about the morning.
He told her.
He did not soften Corinne’s actions.
He also did not make them worse.
When he reached the pantry locks, Emily opened a small tablet and began taking notes.
“Do you have photographs?”
“No.”
“Are the locks still installed?”
“Corinne said she was removing them.”
Emily looked up.
“When?”
“On the phone about an hour ago.”
“Did you ask her to?”
“No.”
“Did you tell her not to alter anything?”
“After she had already started.”
Emily nodded without judgment.
“Do you know whether the locks are still there?”
“No.”
“What about the food bag Desmond hid?”
“I told her to leave it where she found it.”
Emily looked toward Desmond.
“We’ll talk about that separately if that’s okay.”
Desmond said nothing.
Emily turned back to Julian.
“Has there been physical discipline before?”
“I don’t know.”
The answer sounded terrible.
He forced himself to continue.
“I didn’t think so before today.”
“What did you think happened with the marks on Wren’s wrist?”
“I didn’t see them.”
“Had either child told you about grabbing or hitting?”
“Yes.”
Emily waited.
Julian swallowed.
“Desmond told me his mother had grabbed Wren.”
“And what did you do?”
“Nothing useful.”
Emily’s expression stayed neutral.
“I told him she was stressed.”
Desmond stared at the floor.
Julian kept going because stopping would have been another version of avoiding it.
“I dismissed him.”
Emily typed something.
“What was your work schedule like during this period?”
“I travel.”
“How often?”
“Two or three nights most weeks recently.”
“Who is the primary caregiver when you’re away?”
“Corinne.”
“Any nanny?”
“Not anymore.”
“When did that stop?”
“Six months ago.”
Emily looked up.
“Why?”
Julian thought.
“Marta was our housekeeper, not a nanny.”
“You mentioned a cleaner earlier.”
“Yes.”
“She still comes?”
“Twice a week.”
“Does she have regular access to the children?”
“Sometimes.”
“Would she have observed meals?”
“Probably.”
Emily made another note.
May you like
Julian’s phone buzzed again.
This time Emily glanced at it.
