I wouldn’t make them carry my resentment, and I wouldn’t ask them to pretend no one had hurt us.

Callum still made mistakes.

So did I.

The difference was that we had learned to acknowledge them and keep the children out of battles that belonged to adults.

His relationship with them grew by consistency, not by money or a grand announcement.

The legal arrangements continued to give us structure when emotions were difficult.

Lorraine remained outside their lives.

That might change someday, if the circumstances genuinely warranted it.