And he could not, under any circumstances, introduce himself to them as Daddy, not until the children were emotionally prepared, on their own timeline, for such a word.

Elena consulted the child psychologist who had worked with the family for years, and together they explained to the five-year-olds, in careful and simple terms, that the man they had seen in a few old photographs was back, and that he wanted, very much, to get to know them.

Leo was the first of the four to get angry.

“Why now?” he demanded.

And Elena did not hide behind a fairy tale.