Mia revisits the aftermath of That Summer: Mom emotionally shut down, parents skirted divorce, and then reversed roles when Dad announced his retirement to run the household while Mom returned to full-time work. Mia’s admiration for Dad dims as his “sacrifice” feels performative, and the family adopts an unspoken ban on alternative text-based therapies after TFT’s methods collapse and her practice closes.

Back in the present, the CPS therapist reveals a plastic stencil letterboard, saying a similar one was found in Adam’s recovered backpack. Mom insists Eugene does not use a letterboard. When the therapist shows it to Eugene, he grasps it with an intense, longing focus that unsettles everyone.

Mom snatches the board, and Eugene immediately grabs a pen and thrusts it through the letter D toward Mom’s eye. Although Eugene’s face looks pleasant, Detective Janus interprets danger, intercepts his wrist, and a struggle ensues. In the scuffle, Janus’s lip is split, her cheek scratched, and she gets elbowed as Eugene thrashes.

Seeing an officer injured, Janus declares the need to file an APO report and moves to take Eugene to headquarters. Despite the family’s pleas, she handcuffs Eugene, escalating his distress. Mom counters by demanding to accompany him, to say nothing until their lawyer arrives, and to be given time to calm him.

With John and Mia assisting—switching Eugene’s iPad to soothing videos—Mom soothes him while Janus and the therapist watch warily. The scene ends with Mom temporarily stabilizing Eugene, Janus preparing transport, and Mia sensing that none of this will end well, even as a new clue—the letterboard linked to Adam—deepens the mystery.