Dad carefully unfolded the note.
“I found this inside after your mother passed away. She kept it all those years.”
Amanda’s expression changed.
“What note?”
Dad handed it to her.
She read silently.
I watched her fingers tighten around the paper.
“What does it say?” I asked.
Amanda didn’t answer, so Dad recited the words from memory.
“I know you wanted to make something beautiful. Next time, ask first. Love means taking care of what matters to someone else.”
I looked at my sister.
She lowered the note.
“Mom wrote that?”
“She did.”
Dad touched the box.
“Remember how we cleaned this together? You spent weeks helping around the house because you wanted to contribute to fixing it.”
Amanda looked down.
“I remember cleaning it.”
“And do you remember your mother telling you that making a mistake didn’t make you a bad daughter?”
She nodded reluctantly.
“She said she loved me.”
“Yes. She loved you, and she still expected you to help make things right.”
Amanda pushed the note toward him.
“That’s different. Jessica’s car isn’t some priceless family heirloom.”
I felt that familiar sting.
“So my things don’t matter because they’re not expensive enough?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying?”
Amanda looked away.
Dad gently closed the box.
“Your mother didn’t care about the price when she explained why asking permission mattered. She cared about respect.”
Amanda started pacing.
“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation over some paint.”
“Then let’s talk about the paint,” Dad said.
He slid the printed pages toward her.
I recognized photographs of my car.
“I sent pictures to a detailing shop this morning,” he explained. “They gave me a preliminary estimate. They need to inspect the paint before giving us an actual price.”
Amanda glanced at the figures.
“That’s ridiculous!”
“It’s a range, not a final bill,” Dad said. “And Jessica shouldn’t have to guess whether she can safely remove it herself.”
“She asked me to split the cost!” Amanda protested.
“Which was generous,” Dad replied.
Amanda turned toward me.
“You’re really going to let Dad gang up on me?”
I took a moment before answering.
“I didn’t ask him to bring any of this here. Yesterday, I asked you for help, and you told me I wasn’t allowed to see Lily anymore.”
“Because you made her feel terrible!”
Something about that bothered me.
“Lily didn’t seem upset when I hugged her.”
Amanda opened her mouth, then stopped.
I remembered Lily running excitedly toward the house after showing me the car.
“Actually, how did she even get the paints?”
Amanda sighed.
“They were left over from the craft activity. I was busy getting everything ready.”
“Did she ask you what she could do with them?”
Amanda hesitated.
Dad noticed.
“Amanda?”
“I don’t remember every little conversation from yesterday.”
Her hesitation made me think there was something she wasn’t saying.
“Can we ask Lily?” I said.
Amanda immediately stiffened.
“Don’t drag my daughter into this.”
“I’m not accusing her of anything. I just want to understand what happened.”
Dad nodded.
“Let’s hear what she remembers.”
Amanda reluctantly called Lily from the living room.
She appeared carrying a stuffed rabbit.
Her smile disappeared when she saw me.
“Aunt Jessica?”
“Hi, sweetheart.”
She stayed beside her mother.
I crouched to her level.
“Can I ask you something about my birthday surprise?”
Lily nodded.
“Where did you get the idea to paint my car?”
“Because you love your car,” she replied. “Mommy said you worked really hard to buy it. I wanted you to see pretty flowers when you went to work.”
My eyes stung.
“That’s a very thoughtful reason, honey. Did you ask anyone before you started painting?”
She looked confused.
“I asked Mommy.”
I glanced up at Amanda.
“What did Mommy say?”
Lily smiled slightly, as though remembering something important.
“She said you wouldn’t mind because you love me.”
The room became completely silent.
Amanda stared at the floor.
I stood slowly.
“Amanda, did you tell her she could paint my car?”
“I didn’t tell her to paint it!”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“I was carrying food outside. She was talking about some birthday surprise, and I wasn’t paying attention.”
Lily frowned.
