There were disagreements.

Tristan initially proposed that the boys spend alternating full weekends with him immediately.

I opposed the sudden change, and the counselor recommended a gradual approach.

We began with shorter visits and expanded them only when the boys demonstrated comfort and the arrangements worked in practice.

For the first time, Tristan heard “no” without treating it as an attack.

That mattered more than he knew.

One evening, after an especially long meeting with our lawyers, he walked with me to the parking lot.