His voice hardened. “You made her feel like she doesn’t belong when all she wanted was to make space—for him and for you.” I found Emma later that night curled on the sofa. I sat beside her and apologized, voice breaking. I told her she hadn’t deserved what I said or what I did, and that I was grateful she had tried to include her brother. After a long silence she shrugged, eyes shining, and said she just didn’t want him to feel the way she had when her mother left.

I pulled her into a hug and this time she hugged me back. From that night we redesigned the room together. Emma chose the paint color and helped assemble the crib. When the baby arrived months later she was the first to hold him, whispering soft promises into his ear. She had not only made space in her room. She had made space in her heart—and taught me a lesson in humility I will never forget.