Emily flinched.
I stepped between them.
“My daughter is not competing with anybody.”
“She competes every day, whether you recognize it or not. She watches every decision and makes you feel guilty whenever you prioritize me.”
“She is nine years old.”
“Nine is old enough to understand that families change.”
I asked whether Vanessa had ever told Emily to hide photographs, stop mentioning Caroline, or stay away during conversations about our future children.
Her silence answered me.
Emily spoke quietly.
“She put Mom’s picture inside a kitchen drawer last month, but she told me not to bother you because you were busy.”
A memory returned immediately.
I had noticed Emily’s favorite photograph missing from the refrigerator, and Vanessa claimed it probably fell behind the counter.
“What else did she ask you not to tell me?”
Emily’s eyes filled.
“She said my bedroom would become the nursery because it has better windows. She said I could sleep in the smaller guest room after you got married.”
