“It was one photo.”
“It wasn’t about one photo.”
“You sound like Marcus.”
“Maybe Marcus has a point.”
Vanessa became defensive.
“So now everyone thinks I’m the evil stepmother?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You were standing there.”
“Yes.”
“You know I take care of that girl.”
Rachel nodded.
“You do.”
“I buy her clothes.”
“I know.”
“I drive her places.”
“I know.”
“She has a room here.”
Rachel stared at her sister.
“That’s not evidence you make her feel like family.”
Vanessa looked stunned.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Rachel sighed.
“You’ve been doing this for a while.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You too?”
“Last Thanksgiving.”
“What about it?”
“You kept telling people how nice it was having your whole family together.”
“My family was together.”
“Amara was at Danielle’s.”
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
Rachel continued.
“At Christmas, you posted that picture with the caption ‘My entire world.’”
“People write things like that.”
“The picture was you, Marcus, Caleb, and Zoe.”
Vanessa looked away.
“That doesn’t mean I hate Amara.”
“I don’t think you hate her.”
“Then what are you saying?”
Rachel chose her words carefully.
“I think you want Marcus’s life to have started when he met you.”
Vanessa’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
Rachel leaned against the counter.
“You love Marcus.”
“Obviously.”
“You love your kids.”
“Yes.”
“And I think part of you wishes those three people were the complete story.”
Vanessa’s anger began fading.
Rachel continued.
“But they aren’t.”
She nodded toward the staircase.
“Amara came first.”
Vanessa said nothing.
“That doesn’t make her more important than Caleb or Zoe.”
“I know.”
“But she isn’t less important either.”
Vanessa sat down.
For a moment, she looked exhausted.
“I didn’t realize she felt that way.”
Rachel softened.
“Maybe that’s the real problem.”
Twenty minutes later, Marcus returned downstairs.
Vanessa stood immediately.
“Where’s Amara?”
“Bathroom.”
“Is she okay?”
“No.”
Vanessa flinched.
Marcus walked past her toward the kitchen.
“Can we talk?”
“Yes.”
Rachel quietly left.
Vanessa followed Marcus.
“I’m sorry.”
Marcus turned.
“To me?”
“To both of you.”
“Why?”
Vanessa looked confused.
“What do you mean why?”