My Dad Proudly Took My Beautiful Younger Sister Everywhere but Always Made Me Stay Home **20 Years Later, He Came to My Birthday in Tears, Holding a B0x, and Said, ‘Before I Pass Away, You Need t0Know Why I Treated You That Way. 0pen This’

Then I noticed the old hotel logo in the corner.

My birthday disappeared around me.

I noticed the old hotel logo.

The cake on the dining table. My family in the next room. Lily standing several feet behind Dad with one hand pressed over her mouth.

All I could see was Mom’s blue dress.

***

I had been 16.

All I could see was Mom’s blue dress.

I had stood at the bottom of our stairs wearing it, smoothing my hands over the skirt while Dad adjusted his tie near the front door.

He had promised both Lily and me that we could attend his company’s annual banquet.