At three o’clock on Saturday afternoon, Grant showed up at the West Hartford public playground for his scheduled weekend visit with Sophie.

The autumn sun shone bright over the wood-chip play area and glinted off the metal chains of the swing set.

Grant went straight to the swings, took off his wool coat, and tossed it over the wooden fence around the playground.

He pushed Sophie on the middle swing, catching the small of her back with light, steady hands as she sailed up into the blue sky.

Sophie hugged her gray stuffed rabbit tight under her left arm, her little fingers twisting its long felt ears into tight curls every time she swung back.