The market’s front windows frosted at the edges, and shoppers hurried in with red noses and grocery lists folded into their gloves.

Emma learned to make change by sorting coins at my kitchen table.

She preferred the nickels because she liked the pictures on them, though I insisted that all the coins were equally deserving of respect.

One afternoon, Miriam called with news about the family’s legal arrangements.

After review by the court and the professionals involved, I had been granted a longer-term role caring for Emma, subject to the applicable orders and future reviews.

The exact terms were less dramatic than the word *forever*, but they gave us stability and a clear plan for what came next.