Prue sat quietly in Mr. Mitchels’ classroom, surrounded by books and toys, feeling a sense of safety. She wanted to believe this space could protect her daughter, Ellie. Mr. Mitchels greeted her with kindness, mentioning Ellie’s good placement test results, but Prue had concerns. Ellie, adopted after her birth parents died, had been bullied before, and Prue wanted assurance it wouldn’t happen again.
Mr. Mitchels promised he’d keep an eye on things. But when Prue later saw a drawing Ellie had made, she noticed a figure labeled “Uncle” and learned Ellie had been keeping a secret. The next day, Mr. Mitchels called about helping Ellie with reading, but Prue felt something was off. At school, she found out he’d taken Ellie to the park without telling her.
Confronting Mr. Mitchels, he revealed he was Ellie’s biological uncle, but had refused custody five years ago. Now, he wanted to be a part of her life. Prue, though angry at the secrets, agreed to allow supervised visits, with the condition that there would be no more lies. Later, at a café, they discussed Ellie’s future, and Prue allowed Mr. Mitchels to be involved, but only on her terms.