“Then we’ll try first,” announced a woman stepping forward. Dr. Helena Frost, according to her introduction. Child psychologist to celebrities. She approached Amelia with a warm smile.
“Hello, sweetheart. I’m Dr. Frost. I’ve helped many children just like you.”
Amelia didn’t move. Didn’t blink.
“I brought you something special.” Dr. Frost pulled out a tablet showing animated characters. “Do you like cartoons?”
Nothing.
Dr. Frost tried for five minutes. Different approaches. Different tones. Amelia sat like a statue.
“I’m sorry, Richard,” Dr. Frost finally said. “She’s completely shut down. This will require months, possibly years of intensive—”
“Next,” Richard cut her off.
One after another, they failed. A speech therapist. A child actor who tried to make her laugh. A behavioral specialist with flashcards. Each one more confident than the last. Each one walking away defeated.
I kept cleaning, watching Amelia’s face stay blank through it all. But her hands—her hands were trembling.
“This is pointless,” Victoria Sterling announced loudly. “The child is damaged, Richard. Accept it and move on.”
“Don’t call her that,” Richard snapped.