Claire looked taken aback, her eyes wide with surprise. “No, of course not,” she said earnestly. “I would never say something like that. I care about Lily, and I’ve been doing my best to make her feel included.”

I believed her. Claire had always been kind and considerate, going out of her way to bond with Lily. Yet, the fear in Lily’s eyes was real, and I couldn’t ignore it.

I knelt down beside Lily again. “Honey, did Claire say this directly to you?”