Claire nodded slowly, her eyes flickering over to Lily, who was now standing quietly beside me, her small hand clutching mine. “I’ve been trying to connect with her, really, I have,” Claire said, her own voice tinged with sadness and frustration.

“I know you’ve been trying,” I replied, my tone softening. “But maybe we need to give her more time. This is a lot for her to take in.”

Claire nodded, her expression thoughtful. “Of course. I can understand that. Maybe we can postpone things until she feels ready.”