I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and guilt for not having clarified this sooner. “Lily,” I said gently, “Claire means she’s excited about us all being a family together. You, me, and her. She would never want to replace your mom or make you feel left out.”

Claire knelt beside us, her eyes filled with sincerity. “Lily, I’m really sorry if what I said scared you. I love your dad, and I’d love for us to be friends, too. I promise I’ll never try to take your mom’s place.”