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“That you’re not alone,” Jordan said. “And you don’t have to be brave by yourself.”
Kyle surged forward. “Get away from her! I’m her father!”
Jordan glanced back at Madison and gestured for her to stand behind him, one small hand gripping the back of his vest.
“Stand here,” he said quietly. “Call me Dad.”
The word hung in the air, fragile and powerful all at once.
The courtroom doors opened moments later.
Inside, the judge listened as Jordan took the stand. He didn’t posture. He didn’t threaten. He spoke about what he saw, about a child’s fear, about the responsibility adults carry whether they ask for it or not. Then others spoke—neighbors, teachers, people Kyle had dismissed as irrelevant.
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