Eli lowered his gaze.
She looked at Ryan.
“And someone failing, then having to learn that being a father is not a lab result.”
The room stopped breathing.
Ryan took it.
To his credit, he took it.
Lily continued.
“I’m not saying that to be mean. I’m saying it because it’s true, and I don’t want everyone whispering around true things forever.”
She looked at all of us.
“I have two dads in different ways. Ryan is my biological father. Eli is my stepdad. Uncle Daniel is basically a chaotic aunt.”
“Rude,” Daniel said, wiping his eyes.
“And Mom is Mom,” Lily said.
She took a breath.
“I’m okay. Not because everything was okay. Because the people who stayed helped make it okay.”
Ryan’s eyes were wet.
Mine were too.
Lily lifted the panda mug.
“To the people who stayed.”
We all raised our glasses.
