Maisie’s teacher, Ms. Jordan, had noticed changes.

More tired.

Less talkative.

Drawing houses with doors crossed out.

One drawing showed a tiny house outside a big house.

Teacher asked:

“What’s this?”

Maisie said:

“Where bad kids go.”

That was two weeks before the doghouse.

Ms. Jordan emailed the parents.

Seraphine replied:

We are addressing imaginative boundary issues at home.

Adrian never saw the email.

School portal notifications went to Seraphine’s address because she had become primary contact after Clara’s birth.

Again.

A system built for convenience became a filter.

School changed the contact plan.

Adrian became primary.

Rebecca backup.

No important child-welfare communication to one adult only.

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