Claire laughed.
Michael objected.
Nobody cared.
The relationship grew slowly.
Painfully slowly, according to David.
Perfectly, according to Michael.
A year passed before Claire spent Christmas morning with them.
When she arrived, she handed Lily a flat rectangular package.
Michael immediately became nervous.
Lily opened it.
Inside was a custom frame containing three photographs.
One showed Emily holding baby Lily.
One showed Michael and Lily at a baseball game.
The third space was empty.
Lily frowned.
“What goes here?”
Claire shrugged.
“Whatever picture you want someday.”
Lily looked at her.
“You didn’t put yourself?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s your frame.”
Lily thought for a moment.
Then ran upstairs.
She returned carrying a photograph taken several months earlier.
Michael, Lily, Claire, Margaret, David, and Rachel standing beside a ridiculous snowman.
Lily inserted it into the empty space.
Claire did not cry.
But Michael saw her blink several times.
That night, after Lily went to bed, Michael stood in the kitchen with Claire.
“She likes you.”
“I like her.”
“That scares me.”
Claire nodded.
“I know.”
“You’re not supposed to agree that fast.”
“You want me to pretend?”
“No.”
Claire leaned against the counter.
“I’m scared too.”
“Of what?”
“Getting this wrong.”
Michael looked at her.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“I think the people who aren’t scared of getting family wrong are dangerous.”
Claire smiled.
“That may be the least romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“I canceled my last wedding in front of two hundred people.”
“I’ve heard.”
“I’ve lowered expectations.”
They laughed.
Three years later, Michael proposed.
Not privately.
Not dramatically.
He asked Lily first.
Not for permission.
For honesty.
She was twelve.
He sat beside her on the back porch.
“I’m thinking about asking Claire to marry me.”
Lily looked at him.
“Okay.”
“That’s all?”
“What do you want?”
“A reaction.”
“She already basically lives here.”
“That’s not the point.”
Lily smiled.
“Are you asking if I’m scared?”
Michael nodded.
“A little.”
“Me too.”
His heart sank.
Then Lily continued.