Vance began attending a parenting class on his attorney’s recommendation and participated in the visits permitted under the temporary arrangements.

There were setbacks.

He missed one appointment after a difficult meeting with his lawyer, then wrote a long explanation.

I told him Oliver needed reliability, not eloquence.

The following week he arrived on time.

I still filed for divorce.

Ruth explained the stages plainly: financial disclosures, negotiations over support and property, consideration of parenting arrangements, and, if necessary, a hearing.

There would be no magical document making every difficult issue vanish overnight.