My ex-husband’s new wife, Cassandra, thought a $1,000 prom dress would win my daughter Lily’s heart, mocking my homemade effort. I’m April, a single mom working two jobs. Lily, 17, fell in love with a sparkly $1,000 dress, but it was beyond our budget. Remembering my mom’s sewing lessons, I offered to make a similar dress. We chose soft pink fabric and spent weeks designing and sewing. The result was stunning—Lily looked radiant. The night before prom, Cassandra arrived with the $1,000 dress, belittling my creation. Lily chose my dress for prom,
telling Cassandra she valued love over price. At prom, Cassandra was shocked, but Lily stood proud, later posting online about the love sewn into her dress. It went viral, with hundreds supporting her choice. Cassandra demanded I pay for the unused dress; Lily refused, saying love isn’t returnable. Now, Lily’s prom photo hangs beside one of my mom teaching me to sew. As Lily heads to college, she’s taking the dress—a reminder that love, not money, creates lasting beauty. I’m sewing again, stitching love into every piece.
