No promises.
He just kept appearing.
When I nearly failed chemistry, he sat beside me at the kitchen table until nearly midnight, even though he understood the periodic table less than I did.
At one point I said, « You’re literally making this worse. »
« Probably. »
« Then why are you still here? »
« Because parents don’t get to quit before their kids do. »
Parents.
He didn’t seem to notice he’d said it.
I did.