“His name isn’t Hello.”

“I understand. Sorry.”

Wren hid behind my leg for almost fifteen minutes.

Oliver asked Callum whether he owned a dog.

Callum said no, and Oliver explained that Pepper was available for visits but wasn’t for sale.

I watched their awkward conversations and felt grief arrive unexpectedly.

Callum was learning simple facts that any present parent would know: Jude disliked scratchy socks, Wren needed time before speaking to strangers, and Oliver answered every question with a question of his own.

The facilitator guided the visit, helping Callum follow the children’s lead.