I frowned.
“What?”
“Our family.”
She started counting on her fingers.
“You.”
One.
“Dad.”
Two.
“Me.”
Three.
Then her siblings.
Four.
Five.
Six.
She stopped.Family
Her little forehead wrinkled.
“But there was going to be one more.”
Nobody spoke.
My heart broke all over again.
Amelia looked at Ryan.
“Does the baby still count?”
Ryan’s face changed.
I looked away because suddenly I couldn’t bear to watch him.
He crouched in front of her.
“Yes.”
Amelia studied him.
“Even though the baby died?”
“Yes.”
His voice cracked.
“The baby still counts.”
Amelia nodded.
That was apparently all she needed.
Then the garden door opened.
Lina stepped outside.
My sister.
In her wedding dress.
She approached slowly.
“Amelia?”
My daughter moved closer to me.
Lina stopped.
“I’m sorry you got upset.”
Amelia frowned.
“I’m not trying to replace your mom.”
“Then why do you say you’re my new mom?”
