She came back to the dining room doorway and dropped the bag on the rug right in front of Lily’s chair.

“Open it,” Vanessa ordered, folding her arms tight again.

Lily kept her hands in her lap.

“I said open it right now, Lily,” Vanessa repeated, stepping closer.

“That box cost more than your father makes in a whole week of sanding broken chairs.”

“I don’t want your present,” Lily said.

“You’ll open it, and you’ll say thank you,” Vanessa said, her heel pounding the rug.

“You have no idea what I went through to bring that to this table tonight.”