When the recording ended, James's fingers moved faintly against the sheet. Brian looked at the nurse, then at Rex, searching for an interpretation. The nurse gently reminded him that movement after a stroke could happen for different reasons and that the medical team would continue assessing his response. She did not turn a small motion into a promise, and Brian was grateful for that even as he wanted something more.
"You heard it," he said, taking his grandfather's hand. "I know you heard it. Even if you can't tell me."
Rex leaned closer. "We haven't forgotten you, Jaime. The bike's in good hands. So is your grandson."
James's gaze drifted to him. For a moment Rex felt as though the old man were looking through twenty years of pride, anger, and silence directly into the part of him that had taken too long to change. He wanted to apologize again, to explain everything he had finally understood, but Brian was holding the man's hand and the hour belonged to the boy. Rex stepped back and let them sit together until visiting time was nearly over.
The caseworker arrived at Thunderfork just after lunch. Her name was Clara Benton, and she carried a folder bulging with notes, hospital correspondence, and forms requiring signatures. She looked tired in the way people look when their jobs involve too many urgent problems and too few hours to solve them. Brian recognized her immediately and stood when she entered, uncertain whether he was supposed to greet her or defend himself.
"Hello, Brian," she said. "I've heard you've had an eventful week."
"The bike runs," he answered, then stopped. "But Millie told me that doesn't decide anything."
Clara glanced at the motorcycle, where Butcher was covering the engine for the day. "She's right. I'm glad you had that experience, but we're here to make sure you have somewhere safe to live and adults who can take care of you. That's our job."
Millie led them into the office. Rex had moved the old boxes from beneath the desk, cleared the chairs, and placed a pitcher of water on the table. Javier Restrepo was present for the meeting, along with Denise Harlan, a calm woman in her forties who wore a blue cardigan and carried a notebook decorated with a small drawing of a sunflower. Denise greeted Brian without reaching to hug him, something he appreciated immediately.
"I know this is a lot of people," she said. "You can call me Denise. I live about fifteen minutes from your school, and I have two cats who believe they own the entire house."
Brian could not help asking what their names were. She told him one was Pepper and the other was Captain, and that Captain had learned to open cupboard doors. He asked whether she had photographs, and she showed him a picture of a fat gray cat looking smug beside a scattered bag of cereal. The exchange did not solve anything, but it made the meeting feel less like a hearing and more like a room containing actual people.
Clara asked Brian several questions in private before speaking with the adults. She wanted to know whether he felt safe at his grandfather's house, what he knew about the proposed group home, and whether anyone had pressured him to stay with Thunderfork. He told her honestly that he had offered to fix the motorcycle because he hoped it would persuade Rex to let him stay. He also told her that Rex had explained he could not trade a home for a repair, and that Millie had been clear about the need for approval.