I want to.”
He stayed still.
“Is it because we were going to get split up?”
“That’s part of it.”
“What’s the other part?”
He was seven years old.
And he had just asked me the same question the judge had asked.
So I gave him the same truth.
“Because you’ve been holding everyone together for three weeks, and you shouldn’t have to do that alone.”
He looked at the floor.
Then he whispered,
“I’m tired.”
“I know.”
“Not sleepy tired.”
“I know.”
He struggled for the words.
“Like… tired.”
