"It's not a race," Helen said, though she was amused how she understood now that the fir saw it as a challenge to beat the other kids. When Menelaus showed up she let go of Arianna's hand and stepped to the side to let him talk to her alone. It wasn't her place.
When he finished, she offered a little smile and continued on with them. She understood what it felt like to feel like your child was lost.