4
Inside the apartment, I looked at the
appliances, the fancy kitchen, the luxurious
finishes. I thought of our old farmhouse. My
heart ached.
Lily was thrilled. She ran to the dolls
scattered on the floor. Before she could even
touch one, Chloe shouted, “You’re dirty! Don’t
touch my dolls! You’re disgusting!”
Lily’s face fell. She looked to me, frightened
and confused.
Before I could say anything, Chloe shoved
Lily. “Don’t touch my things, you dirty country
bumpkin!”
Lily burst into tears. I rushed to comfort her.
Susan came over. “Molly, children will be
children. Don’t worry about it.”
But Chloe wasn’t just being childish. She saw
this place as her home. Lily and I were just
dirty, poor country folk who didn’t belong.
The door opened. Gary walked in, smiling.
“Chloe, look what I brought you! Your favorite
Disney princess!”
Chloe ran to him, burying herself in his arms.
“Daddy, you’re the best! My doll got dirty. I
need a new one!”
Seeing Gary and Chloe call each other father
and daughter… I froze. I felt Lily tremble in
my arms.
