Before Robert answered, Amelia looked down at the photograph of Claire holding her as a baby.

“Because I didn’t believe him.”

I stared at her.

“Believe what?”

“That my mother’s family wanted me.”

My chest tightened.

“What are you talking about?”

“My dad told me you didn’t.”

She spoke quietly.

“He told me that after Mom died, her family didn’t want contact anymore.”

I couldn’t make sense of the words.

“He told you what?”

“That you thought I should stay with him and that continuing contact would only make things harder.”

She looked away.

“As I got older, the story changed slightly. Sometimes he said there had been arguments. Sometimes he said there was bad blood.”

“But the ending was always the same.”

“My mother’s family didn’t want me.”

“That is not true.”

My voice came out so sharply that Amelia flinched.

I immediately softened.