When Silence Speaks the Loudest

Olive hadn’t said a word all morning. She stayed quiet while her new dress was zipped up and her tiny hands fiddled with the hem. In the car, as the courthouse loomed closer, her silence felt heavier than the weight in her stomach. Even in the courtroom, where her adoptive parents answered the judge’s questions with practiced optimism.

She didn’t expect anyone to notice her stillness—especially not the judge. But then, the judge turned to her, her eyes steady and full of expectation. “What about you, Olive?” she asked. Panic gripped her. She wanted to disappear, but the world was waiting for her answer.