“She bites them,” Mike said immediately, then hesitated. “She always has. We’ve been trying to stop it.” The words slowed as something clicked into place. “She does it when she’s tired. Or bored.”
The doctor nodded once, his tone changing—not alarmed, but focused. “Has she been outside recently? Playing in soil? A garden?” Mike’s chest tightened. “Eleanor takes her out back every day,” he said. “They dig. She lets her help. Maxine loves it.” For a moment, no one spoke.