“Daddy, my teacher hurts me when no one is watching”—my 6-year-old came home with bruises, and when the school tried to dismiss it, the truth changed everything
that children often speak the truth in fragments because fear does not come out neatly.
A year later, Lucía turned seven. Javier hosted her birthday in the backyard with rainbow balloons, cupcakes, and a small bounce house she had begged for. Her new classmates came, including a girl named Harper who followed her like a shadow.
