The hospital room had grown warmer as the evening deepened, the fading light outside giving way to night while inside, the air filled with the comfortable chatter of people beginning to know each other.
Nina dozed peacefully, her small hand clutching her stuffed bunny, while the adults settled into various chairs around the room.
Lila had masterfully woven herself into the fabric of the family dynamic with practiced ease.
She'd spent the last two hours demonstrating what appeared to be genuine concern for Nina, asking thoughtful questions about her treatment, and listening intently to Sarah's detailed explanations about the dialysis process.
"You're so knowledgeable about all this," Lila said to Sarah, her tone genuinely admiring. "Now I can see why Nina only considers you her big sister."
Sarah had practically glowed under the attention.
She'd been carrying the weight of worry about Nina while trying to support Danny through his own stress.
