Olivia Bennett did not begin with accusations. She began with a pause — a tiny hesitation from her daughter Emma that most people might have missed.
Emma had always been the kind of child who enjoyed school. She talked about science projects at breakfast, looked forward to field trips, and seemed comfortable in the building where she spent so much of her week.
Then the rhythm changed.
She stopped offering stories about her day. Sunday evenings made her uneasy. Sometimes she asked if she could stay home. When Olivia gently asked what was wrong, Emma’s answers stayed vague.