Evelyn nodded, her eyes glassy. “I… I would like to try. To be better.”

Michael and I exchanged a look, a silent agreement passing between us. Sophie’s well-being was paramount, and if Evelyn was sincere, perhaps there was hope for reconciliation.

“Start by apologizing to Sophie,” Michael suggested. “And mean it.”

Evelyn sighed, the weight of her actions evident on her face. “I’ll do that,” she promised.

Later, as Sophie was showing off her latest drawing to a group of cousins, Evelyn approached her. I watched from a distance, my heart pounding, as she knelt down to Sophie’s level.

“I’m sorry, Sophie,” Evelyn said, her voice carrying over the chatter of the party. “I was wrong to make you feel unwelcome. You are very much a part of this family, and I’m going to do my best to show you that from now on.”

Sophie looked at her with wide, curious eyes. She hesitated for a moment and then nodded, accepting Evelyn’s words with the openness only a child can possess.

Michael and I joined them, and Sophie hugged us both, whispering, “I love you, Mommy and Daddy.”

In that moment, surrounded by friends and family who truly cared, I felt the sting of the past few weeks begin to heal. It wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was a start. And for Sophie’s sake, we were willing to try.