The doctor examined her carefully and asked questions in language an eight-year-old could understand.
Ella answered some.
She shook her head at others.
When she became tired, the doctor stopped.
Nobody accused her of lying.
Nobody threatened to send her away.
Nobody told her to protect an adult.
The medical record documented the location of the bruising, Ella’s description of the dresser, her statement about being grabbed, and the fear she had expressed about returning home.
A hospital social worker joined us.
I gave her Margaret’s video, the changed-flight confirmation, and the time I arrived home.
I showed her the message exactly as Margaret had sent it.
I did not edit the clip.
I did not summarize what another person could watch.
Facts do not become stronger when you decorate them.
