“They need to find out whether you’re going to show up again on Thursday.”

He showed up on Thursday.

And the Thursday after that, and the one after that.

For months it was awkward, and slow, and unrewarding, and the children called him Grayson, and he never once complained about it.

He learned that Elias was mad for trains and could name a locomotive by the sound of its engine; that Tristan loved soccer and hated losing because he was merciless with himself; that Juniper drew dresses on every scrap of paper she could find and slept with a stuffed giraffe named Peanut.

He learned harder things, too.