I hesitate. “I don’t want to go too far away from Violet.”

“We can leave a message at the nurses’ desk and they can alert us if anything comes up,” Dr. Gideon assures me.

“Okay,” I say and send a quick text to Max to let him know where I am. Though I was reluctant, I had sent him home to check on Boomer, to get me a fresh change of clothes.

Dr. Gideon and I walk together in silence until we reach her office. She steps aside and allows me to enter first. The office isn’t large but is brand-new like the rest of the children’s hospital. New carpet smell fills my nose and the walls are empty except for a framed medical degree hanging behind a cherrywood desk. In fact, it looks like she’s still moving in. Cardboard boxes are stacked in a corner in front of an empty bookshelf.

“Pardon the mess,” Dr. Gideon says and invites me to sit in a chair situated in front of her desk. “I’m just getting settled in.” Dr. Gideon is tall and looks more like an aging WNBA player than a doctor. “Never played,” Dr. Gideon says, reading my mind. She sits behind her desk and smiles. “Everyone had high hopes for me, especially my dad, but I was more interested in reading books than shooting hoops.” I nod, embarrassed and more than freaked out that she knew what I was thinking.

“She’s so young to be here by herself,” I say, choking up. I think of the ratty stuffed monkey that she still sleeps with once in a while and wonder if they’ll let me bring it from home for her.

Dr. Gideon looks at me kindly. “I know this has been very difficult,” she says. “As a mom you know that so many different factors can impact a child’s behavior.” I nod. This is true. Some days I wake up and wonder which child will be sitting at the kitchen table that morning. But I’ve worried more about Max than Violet and another lightning bolt of guilt hits me. Have I been so caught up in Max’s teenage drama that I ignored my daughter?

“Based on my visits with Violet I anticipate that she will go home tomorrow. I do suggest that you follow up with some sort of emotional support for her. I’ve got some resources for you and a list of counselors that you may want to contact.”

I take the handwritten list from Dr. Gideon but all I’ve registered is that Violet gets to go home tomorrow.

“I know your first concern is Violet, as it should be, but I’m hoping you can perhaps answer a few questions that I have—so that I can better understand the situation as a whole,” Dr. Gideon says.