My chest tightened—but before I could speak, Dad stepped forward.
“That ‘five-dollar dress’ belonged to my late wife. It was her dream to see Megan wear it, and my daughter made that dream real tonight. You just insulted her and her mother’s memory.”
“And you wanted to ruin her mother’s dress? The one promise I told her she could always count on?”
Stephanie faltered. “I… I was protecting our image. You know how people talk.”
“No,” he said firmly. “You were tearing down everything Megan had left of her mother. And I will never let you hurt her or her mother’s memory again.”
She let out a bitter laugh. “You’re choosing her over me?”
“Every time,” he said.
She glared at me. “Ungrateful brat.”
From the living room, Grandma’s voice rang out. “I’d watch your words, Stephanie. You’re lucky I didn’t tell James worse.”
Stephanie went pale.
She grabbed her purse and stormed out, slamming the door.
“Fine. Stay in your little bubble of grief and mediocrity. I won’t be part of it.”
Dad turned back to me, brushing a curl from my face.
“She’s gone,” he said gently. “But your mom would be so proud of you.”
“I know,” I whispered.
And for the first time in a long time, I truly believed it.
Grandma had stayed after fixing my dress to tell Dad everything. She left that night, then returned the next morning with muffins.
The three of us sat in the kitchen—me, her, and Dad—for the first peaceful breakfast we’d had in years.
That night, I hung the lavender dress back in my closet.
It was proof that love had survived.
Just like me.
