Averlee sobbed and Elin understood what Averlee could not say, perhaps not even inside her own head. Elin couldn’t love Neal the way Neal loved her. She could never be an ideal part of their lives. She would not be stepping in as a mother figure, helping in that way to mend the ruptured life her sister had left behind. Her role would always be that of aunt. Elin hoped Averlee understood, if not now then please someday, she thought, giving her an extra squeeze, someday she said to herself like a prayer, let this girl and her sister, but especially this one here, let her know that Elin could not
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