The first resident to test Juno’s register refused the second question.
She had answered where she wished to go. She would not give the names of everyone in her household. When Juno explained that the list would help keep people together, the woman asked who else could see it. Juno started describing the custody arrangement and heard herself answering a different question.
“Not everyone needs those names,” the woman said. “I told the last desk where my daughter was. A stranger came asking for her an hour later.”
“Was he sent by the shelter?”
“I don’t know. That’s the point.”
Juno looked down at the neat columns. Names. Age. Household. Contract reference. Destination. Support requirements. She had gathered every detail that might help reconcile a record and placed them all on one page as though usefulness gave them the same right to travel together.
Tessa sat across from her with a blunt pencil.
“Which of these do you need to move this person?” she asked.
