“Three weeks ago Rory told Sadie on speakerphone that welding work had been scarce since Christmas and he had no money for her senior prom,” I said.

Darla didn’t interrupt.

I heard the faint clink of a ceramic mug being set on a counter in her kitchen in Howard.

“Two weeks ago I found a receipt for a two-hundred-dollar salon deposit in Tasha’s name,” I said.

“Tuesday night Tasha posted a public picture of Madison in a six-hundred-dollar prom gown, and Rory commented on it saying how proud he was to pay for his girl.”

The line stayed totally silent on Darla’s end.