They were delightful kids who had bonded with Jessica and Eric, and had stolen my heart. At forty-eight, having two wonderful younger kids who I didn’t have to provide for was a joy. In addition to his daughter, Michael now had a second son. By the late ’80s they were both old enough to travel without Meg, and when summer arrived they came with us to Berkeley Tuolumne Camp near Yosemite, where we took long hikes, went swimming, and did other fun activities as an unconventional family.Michael still made regular visits to see the kids in the Pacific Northwest, but when the oldest was four-and-a-half, he asked if she could come visit and I couldn’t refuse. No matter how angry I was at Michael, I couldn’t justify denying his daughter a chance to see her father and become a greater part of his everyday life, even if it was only a few times a year. Later his son began making the trips too. I soon went from allowing the visits to looking forward to them.My kids also bonded with their half-siblings.
