Chapter 5 - Milo’s Teacher Had Already Seen The Change
Adrian called Milo’s school.
His teacher, Mrs. Palmer, sounded relieved.
“I’m glad you called.”
That sentence frightened him.
“Why?”
“Milo has changed this semester.”
“How?”
“Much quieter.”
Adrian almost laughed bitterly.
Bianca had repeatedly told him Milo was becoming “more mature.”
Mrs. Palmer described something different.
Milo stopped asking for help.
Started apologizing constantly.
Flinched when classroom doors shut unexpectedly.
Once refused to enter the supply closet when a teacher asked him to help carry paper.
“He cried,” Mrs. Palmer said.
“What did he say?”
“That he didn’t want the door closed.”
Adrian pressed his fingers against his forehead.
“Why didn’t anyone call me?”
“We did.”
She pulled up records.
Two emails.
One voicemail.
Bianca had responded to one message saying:
Milo has been struggling with attention-seeking behavior since losing his mother. We are addressing it at home.
At home.
The phrase made Adrian sick.
Mrs. Palmer continued:
“She made it sound as if you were aware.”
“I wasn’t.”
Silence.
Then:
“Mr. Mercer, Milo once told our counselor he gets put somewhere dark when he cries.”
Adrian stopped breathing for a second.
“What happened?”
“The counselor requested a parent meeting.”
“Why wasn’t I there?”
“Mrs. Mercer attended.”
Of course she did.
Bianca had inserted herself between every warning and the father who might have acted.
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And Adrian had made that easy by allowing her to manage school communication.
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