He blinked awake. “What time is it?”
“Almost midnight.”
“I’ve got a chemistry quiz tomorrow.”
“You also worked nine hours today.”
“I’ll be okay.”
I looked at the notebook beside him.
He had listed every paycheck and expense.
At the bottom, he had written one word.
Prom.
“You’ve been saving for that?” I asked.
He looked embarrassed. “I know it isn’t important.”
“It is important.”
He lowered his eyes.
“I just wanted one night where I don’t feel different.”
Those words stayed with me long after he went upstairs.
Tony did not want a car or designer clothes.
He wanted one evening where he looked like every other senior walking into prom.
The ticket, dinner, pictures, and transportation were already expensive.
Then there was the suit.
Even rental prices made my stomach sink.
A tailored suit was completely out of our reach.
One Saturday, I took Tony to a thrift store.
We searched every rack, but everything was too large, badly worn, or hopelessly outdated.
Tony held up a faded brown jacket.
“What about this?”
I forced a smile. “It’s vintage.”
He laughed softly. “I think ‘old’ is the word you’re looking for.”
We left empty-handed.
“It’s okay, Mom,” he said as we walked to the car.
But it was not.
A few days later, I overheard him speaking to a friend on the phone.
“I’ll probably wear Uncle Ben’s old coat.”
He paused.
“No, it’s fine. I’m still going.”
Another pause followed.
“I don’t care what people think.”
His voice cracked slightly.
I knew he cared.
After the call, he sat on the porch for nearly an hour, staring at the street.
I watched from the kitchen window, wishing I could fix everything.
Viki, Evan’s younger sister, visited most Sundays.
She was independent, thoughtful, and quietly confident.
She worked as a freelance graphic designer and remembered every family birthday.
The first thing anyone noticed about her was her hair.
It was dark, thick, and naturally wavy.
It fell past her waist and measured 28 inches from the nape of her neck.
People stopped her on the street to compliment it.
Children had asked whether she was a princess.
She always laughed.
“Oh, it’s just hair.”
