“Can I keep this without meeting her?”

“Yes.”

I informed Warren, who was visibly upset that his mother had bypassed us.

He spoke to her directly and established that gifts and contact requests must go through the adults responsible for June’s care.

A month later Margaret wrote an apology addressed to June.

It was short, and mercifully lacked the detailed family explanations that a seven-year-old should never be asked to carry.

She said she had made choices that kept people apart and understood that June did not owe her a visit.