She mentioned a girl in her town who regained movement in her arms, a man who walked again after losing feeling in his leg, and others who had improved. Richard stayed skeptical. He couldn’t risk his son’s health on stories from a small town.

He decided not to fire her—she was excellent at her job, and Ethan clearly trusted her—but demanded her word that she would never try anything like that with Ethan again without his permission. Maria agreed, sadness dimming her eyes.

Upstairs, she later found Ethan crying. He asked why his dad wouldn’t let her help. Maria told him his father loved him and was afraid. Ethan admitted that when she touched his legs, it felt like they were waking up from a long sleep.