Yeah, since my narrator is restricted to what Josh sees, hears and thinks, I've been careful to keep his perspective in focus and not introduce a lot of my own thoughts that wouldn't be something he would be thinking about just yet in his life.

He senses something unfair is going on, but he doesn't have the background or maturity to articulate it. But I do want the subtext to clearly reflect that his parents are focusing on safety out of love, even if they don't always get it right. That bicycle helmet line isn't in there just as a throwaway. Lol

I hope the reader picks up on the difference between his parents' actions, stemming from selfless love even if they don't always get it right, and the actions of unnamed forces in the story whose restrictions on speech and support stem from something much darker.

Then we have Mr. Grant, struggling against those forces to the best of his ability even as he realizes his best is not very effective sometimes.

Hence the sad ending.

Anyway, I intend to keep these characters alive in my mind and return to them from time to time. So, we may see Josh evolving in his thinking and understanding, and we may see his parents changing too.

I already have a story idea with Olivia as protagonist kicking around in my head.