Chapter 25 - Security without punishment
Greyhaven’s household system changed.
Rafael remained chief.
But no one person controlled every residential decision.
New child-safety officer:
Erin Cole, former school security administrator.
Any drill involving Amity required:
Developmentally appropriate plan.
Advance notice unless genuine emergency.
No punishment.
No cold exposure.
No locked isolation.
No deprivation.
Staff could bypass chain and contact me, Cassandra, child-safety officer, or authorities if they believed Amity unsafe.
No retaliation.
Then travel.
I went to Boston for three nights.
First trip since Wilhelmina’s case.
Amity stayed at Greyhaven with Cassandra and Maria.
I called once each evening.
Not every hour.
No surveillance obsession.
Second night Amity said:
“Aunt Cass burned grilled cheese.”
Cassandra shouted:
“It was artisanal.”
Normal.
Then:
“Did you do laundry?”
“Yes.”
“Did anything happen?”
“Dad.”
I stopped.
I was checking too much.
“Sorry.”
She smiled.
“I spilled soap.”
“What happened?”
“Maria gave me towel.”
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That was all.
Mistakes no longer needed consequences larger than the mistake.
