Chapter 8 - The School's Quiet Report
Sofia's teacher, Mrs. Greene, called the next morning. "She's been saving food in her backpack," she said. "Crackers, half a sandwich, anything she doesn't finish. She told me she wasn't sure she'd get dinner. She's also been asking whether classroom doors lock from the outside."
That afternoon, family services worker Ms. Patel visited the house. Mateo showed her the pantry hook, the photographs, and the notebook. He answered questions about his work schedule and how long Ricardo had been staying with them.
She spoke with Sofia privately. Vanessa arrived halfway through the visit, carrying a folder.
"I want to be present," she said.
Ms. Patel explained that she needed to speak with Sofia alone first. Vanessa's expression hardened. "She's my stepdaughter."
"And this is a child-safety assessment. You'll have a chance to respond."
After the visit, Sofia came out holding a paper bag of crackers, a banana, and juice. "Ms. Patel said I can keep snacks in my room if I want. So I don't have to worry."
Mateo knelt. "You can have food whenever you're hungry. You never have to hide it."
Sofia slipped a folded paper into his hand. It was written in Vanessa's neat handwriting: IF YOU TELL PEOPLE OUR BUSINESS, YOUR FATHER WILL LEAVE BECAUSE OF YOU.
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Mateo photographed it and called Ms. Patel. The worker told him to keep the original and not confront Vanessa.
This was no longer a misunderstanding. Someone was teaching his daughter to blame herself for telling the truth.
