Daniel’s head inclined towards her, his attention divided, but somehow Juniper still felt like the only other soul in the room. “Speaking of influences,” he said, gesturing with an easy smile toward the wall beside him where colorful construction paper and tiny handprints formed a sprawling tree, “I couldn’t help but notice this. All these children’s hands coming together to make something bigger than themselves… a tree that grows because each child added their part to it.” He leaned forward slightly, his tone conversational. “I imagine that’s not so different from what happens here every day, is it? Patterns that form, that shape not just the children, but everyone who works with them. Could you walk us through what you’ve observed? The systemic patterns that affect you, your colleagues, and especially the kids themselves?”

Something in Ms. Rivera’s posture softened at the question. The tension in her jaw eased, and when she spoke again, there was less guardedness than there had been in her body language moments before.

He’s so good at this, Juniper thought, admiring the way Daniel navigated the conversation with ease. It’s like he knows exactly what to say and when to say it… what will make someone feel seen instead of interrogated.

As Ms. Rivera delved into her observations, Juniper couldn’t help but notice the subtle signs of her growing impatience with the situation. She shifted her weights from one to the other, her eyes darting between Daniel and Juniper. But there was something else too, something in the way Ms. Rivera kept directing her answers toward Daniel, seeking his reactions. His attention… deliberate, focused… seemed to anchor her even as the deposition wore on. Juniper couldn’t quite name what she was witnessing, only that Daniel had somehow made this woman feel like her words mattered, even in the midst of legal proceedings that probably felt invasive.