My Son Walked Across the Graduation Stage Wearing a Bright Red Dress While Hundreds of People Laughed. I Was the Only Person in the Auditorium Who Knew Why.

Resting in my palm was a small, silver-framed locket, faded with age.

Inside was a tiny, worn photograph of a young girl wearing a bright red dress—a dress identical, down to the stitch, to the one Julian was wearing.

Beside her photo was a lock of soft, dark hair.

My twin daughter, Lily.

Julian’s twin sister.

Seventeen years ago, Lily had lost her battle with childhood leukemia just three weeks before her sixth birthday.