“He signed as financial guarantor,” Rebecca said.

“He paid the fees so the judge would approve my petition without delays.”

“Did he see her every month?

Did he bring her birthday presents?”

“He came by on third Saturdays, when you were visiting Sarah in Erie,” she said.

“He brought books from the library and looked at her school reports.”

She paused and buttoned the coat back up to her collar with two jerky movements of her thumbs.

“He wanted us to know each other, eventually,” she said.