His tone had softened.
The urgency had disappeared from his voice.
The hand that had grabbed Leo’s wrist was now open at his side.
The man who had demanded antibiotics and complained about missing work suddenly wanted to look reasonable.
The officers escorted him into the hallway.
He kept talking as they went.
Leo didn’t watch him leave.
He climbed back onto the exam bed by himself.
Sarah closed the door.
The latch clicked softly behind her.
For the first time since Leo had arrived, nobody in the room was answering for him.
I didn’t rush into the questions I really wanted answered.
Children who have spent a long time monitoring an adult’s mood don’t necessarily relax the moment that adult leaves a room.
Sometimes the body continues obeying rules that are no longer being spoken.
Leo still sat straight.
His hands disappeared into the hoodie again.
