“No,” I replied. “We need to face this together.”

The picnic was in full swing when Evelyn arrived. Sophie was happily playing with her friends, her laughter a soothing balm over the previous storm. Evelyn approached us, her expression a blend of defiance and something softer—regret, perhaps?

“Hello, Evelyn,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.

She hesitated, glancing around at the guests who were warmly interacting with Sophie. Her gaze finally settled on Michael and me.

“I shouldn’t have done what I did,” she began, her voice lacking the conviction of a true apology. “But you have to understand, it’s hard for me to accept changes in the family.”