She proudly smoothed the skirt of her dress. A few parents smiled when they noticed it.
Then it happened.
A woman wearing oversized designer sunglasses stepped in front of us. She looked Sophie up and down.
Then she laughed.
“Oh wow,” she said loudly to the parents around her. “Did you actually make that dress?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
She tilted her head, examining Sophie like she was judging a contest entry.
“You know,” she said sweetly, “there are families who could give her a better life. Maybe you should think about adoption.”
The gym went silent.
Then she added with a quiet laugh, “How embarrassing.”
I opened my mouth, trying to think of something calm to say.
But before I could speak, her son tugged on her sleeve. His name tag said Evan.
“Mom,” he said loudly.
She waved him away. “Not now.”
“But Mom,” he insisted, pointing at Sophie’s dress. “That looks like the same silk handkerchiefs Dad gives Miss Kelly when you’re not home.”
The entire room froze.
Evan kept talking.
“He buys them from that store by the mall. Miss Kelly says they’re her favorite.”
Parents began exchanging shocked glances.
The woman turned slowly toward her husband. Her confident smile vanished.