“Perfect. Navy wouldn’t match their coats.”

Beside me, Mr. Ellis slowly looked away, as though he needed a second to stay professional. I waited for Kendra to ask how long Lily had been missing.

She never did. I waited for my mother to admit this wasn’t some minor inconvenience. She didn’t. Instead she nodded toward me. “Your sister thinks I’m in trouble because I spent more on the boys.”

Everything inside me suddenly went very still. Not rage. Something colder. If I became angry, they’d dismiss me as emotional, jealous, dramatic — just as they always had.

Calm gave me something more useful.

“This has nothing to do with shopping,” I said.