It made more sense, in the long run, to talk to Celine first before Teddy showed up. After her illness, the shock might be too much, so I talked both Silla and Starks into letting us break the news of his return first; then, he could show up after, and they could both tell their daughter their story together.

The brave girl who’d insisted she meets her dad right away disappeared the closer we got to the hospital later that day, she became nervous and clingy, but her nervousness was a ...