Richard and Margaret stood by their rental sedan, watching the boys climb into the back seats of my SUV.

“We’ll see you for dinner on Saturday in Colorado Springs,” Margaret said, stepping forward to squeeze my arm gently.

“The table is reserved for six,” I said.

Ethan walked to his own car, opened the driver’s door, and paused on the asphalt.

He looked back across the lot at the four boys settling into their seats.

Ethan spent the next year driving to Colorado Springs every two weeks, going to ordinary school concerts and baseball games without any fanfare.

I kept firm, healthy boundaries, refusing to let Ethan buy his way back into our lives while giving him room to prove his commitment was real.