Maisie remembered details slowly.

Not because she was hiding.

Because six-year-olds did not organize fear chronologically.

One afternoon she told Rebecca:

“Seraphine made me hold Clara before.”

“When?”

“Lots.”

That sounded normal.

Then:

“She said if I held her wrong, Daddy would send me away.”

Rebecca froze.

“Did you tell Daddy?”

Maisie shook her head.

“She said he already knew.”

Another phrase.

He already knows.

Seraphine had used Adrian’s authority without Adrian.

She told Maisie the therapist thought she was unsafe.

Told her school counselor knew.

Told her Adrian was “very disappointed.”

Then still smiled beside Adrian at dinner.

Maisie stopped distinguishing whose rules belonged to whom.

That was the deepest damage.

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