I’m April and my divorce from Mark took place six years ago. He didn’t take much time before getting married to Cassandra, a woman who values empathy little and speaks as if she were always proposing a business idea.
Mark and I have a daughter called Lily, who is 17. She shows a lot of energy and sharpness, like a deep understanding way beyond her age. She is set to graduate this year and has high ambitions as she gets ready for college in a couple of months.
Dress Design
One day, while I was cooking, Lily got me excited with what she had found on her phone. “Mom, look! How beautiful is this? It would really fit well at prom,” she replied happily.
The photo showed a stunning satin dress, pretty beadwork that seemed like stars in the sky, stylish draping, and a classic shape.
After that, I saw that the bike was $1,000.
We have to work two roles to run our house, but those special clothes may be out of reach. Too hard to obtain. I managed to smile despite how I was feeling. I simply can’t stop saying how wonderful it is.
Lily felt the difficulty with finances. She said quietly, “I realize you have to do a lot.” I was just lost in a dream.
After she was asleep that night, I stayed at the kitchen table and was unable to stop staring at the dress shown on her social media. That experience made me recall my youthful days, when my mom showed me how to sew not to make clothes, but for basic living.
Proposals That Come From the Heart
Next day, with coffee and in pajamas, I stopped by and knocked on Lily’s door. “What if… You like the dress that I made for you?” I asked. Let’s collaborate on coming up with the design.
At the beginning, she appeared to be a bit doubtful. You are really working hard, Mom. I am afraid that the final work might not look right.
That problem will be no more. Over the years, my grandma let me know that the most beautiful dresses have been created with love.
Once she thought for a moment, Lily smiled. “Let’s go ahead then.”
Merging Dreams
We started making evenings alike by drawing, comparing fabrics, and enjoying coming up with changes. Lily looked for a sophisticated look that also remained simple.
We decided to use a soft pink fabric that is a little magical. I chose to pay on credit without really giving a thought to the risk.
Every night after a hard day, my hands would remember what to do as I worked on the sewing machine. Lily used to sit beside me and chat about anything from her school to her bright dreams.
It took three weeks to make the dress completely. I was speechless when Lily first put it on because it was so stunning. She was gorgeous, now grown up, rather than a child.
She was twirling in front of the mirror and whispered softly to her mom, “Mom, what do you think?” “It’s perfect. It feels like I am the princess in a fairytale.
“You are all the same to me,” I said while crying.
When people we didn’t ask for came at night we got scared.
Sewing the last small stitches the night before prom, I suddenly heard a person near the house. Steps were confident as she wore her high heels. A quick glance out the window at her revealed she held the garment bag as though it were a sacred object.
“Cassandra?” I opened the door and said.
She gave a calm and cool smile. I have a gift that I wanted to give to Lily.
Lily went down the stairs, wanting to find out. Cassandra took out the bag with great flourish to present me with the exact dress Lily had introduced me to.
“I just wanted to give you something real,” Cassandra remarked while looking at me. They are not the same as food that someone made at home.
As soon as she had the dress, Lily started to notice its beautiful beads. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
Cassandra beamed. He made the payment for it this morning. We only wanted to do what was best for you.
After Cassandra was gone, Lily did not say a word. “Mom” Piper began to say.
I put up my hand slowly without making it too obvious. The choice is up to you in the end. Go for any activity that brings you happiness.
She nodded. She as much as could, headed right to her bed.
Prom Night
I helped her prepare for the dinner party the next evening even though I didn’t know which dress she had chosen. Pulling her hair, applying some makeup, and clipping her necklace made me shake uncontrollably.
“Mom,” she told me while gripping my hand. “What you did for me was truly everything to me.”
She moved down the stairs then, and my heart stopped still. She was stylishly dressed in the garment I had sewed myself.
I softly said to her, “You’re… breathtaking.”
Lily gave me her phone as she smiled. See Cassandra’s post over here.
The picture showed the dress wrapped in plastic, and beside it said: “I can hardly wait to see Lily in her dream dress this evening! 💅🏻”
Lily laughed. Something unexpected is about to happen to her. Do you want to start heading to the school now?”
A Statement To The Public
We campus was where Cassandra came to be the coach. Lily became evident to her as soon as she entered wearing celebrity clothes.
“Lily?! The dress I got is not that one!”
Lily had a straight posture. “Nope. I am sporting the jersey that my mom put together for me.
“But… why?” Cassandra stammered.
Love is more valuable than anything a person might identify as. Everything I needed for life came from my mother.
Lily walked away silently, her heels making music on the floor as she graced into the gym with pride and dignity.
The story picks up where After the Ball left off.
Lily’s prom photo made people all over social media cheer the next day. It said in her comment:
My mom made the dress for me since I couldn’t pay for the expensive one. She would work on it every night after being at work two times. Not once have I felt more beautiful or more appreciated. There is no price to pay for experiencing love.
There were hundreds of comments, where people shared their stories about how much they like the dress and respect the woman who made it.
Lily demonstrated a text from Cassandra to me two days after their chat.
After you chose not to wear the dress I bought, your mom should pay me $1,000.
Lily said: “You aren’t able to bring back love as you would a receipt. Don’t throw away your dress after the event. I was able to handle parenting without it.
Cassandra was cleaned out of our lives when we blocked and unfollowed her.
A legacy of love is what these parents left behind.
Mark phoned a little later to apologize, nonetheless, the harm had been done by then.
I hung Lily’s prom picture by her prom date next to one of my mom showing me how to sew during childhood. Every morning on my way to school, I come by a red rose and a tomato and remember: some things in life are priceless.
Lily will take the dress along to college not to be worn but to remind her of her background.
Well, I am the one speaking in this essay. Sewing will be a better way for me if I use my machine thoroughly. Since love cannot be purchased, it takes caring and gentle choices weaved together to form it.