She worked in real estate staging and could transform an empty room into a place that looked welcoming.

She never seemed uncomfortable around grief.

She listened to my stories about Claire without comparing herself to a woman who was no longer there.

At first, Hailey adored her.

Brenda made paper crowns and taught her to braid the fringe of a blanket.

She brought bright hair clips and remembered that Hailey hated the seeds in strawberries.

When we married, I believed we had been given a second chance at a complete home.

The changes were small.