Chapter 2

The November wind in Chicago scraped across my cheeks like a knife.

Before heading out in the morning, I pulled Lily's hand, looking at her cuffs that exposed a large section of her wrists, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Mark, stop by Walmart or the outlets after work," I said to Mark, who was folding his newspaper.

"Lily's winter coat from last year is already too short, and we need to get her a pair of warm snow boots while we're at it. You said you got paid last week, remember?"

Mark took a sip of coffee and nodded readily: "No problem, it's on my way."

However, in a brand-name store at the outlet that afternoon, things went completely off track.

I was picking out a discounted heavy coat for Lily when I turned around and saw Grace standing in front of a high-end rack next door. She was gently touching a cashmere coat priced at over two hundred dollars, her eyes filled with profound loneliness.

"What's wrong, Grace?" Mark immediately walked over, squatting down to ask softly.

Grace snatched her hand back like a child who had done something wrong, lowering her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito.

"I'm sorry, Mark."

"When I was at the orphanage, I always wore leftover winter clothes from others. I've never seen such a pretty coat."

"But it's okay. Lily's coat is more important. I'm fine just looking at it."

This line instantly struck Mark's desire to play the savior.

Without hesitation, he took down the expensive coat: "We're buying it! Grace, you deserve the best."

By the time they got to checkout, Mark looked at the bill on the register, his face turning somewhat awkward.

The coat, costing over two hundred dollars, directly blew through our meager non-essential budget for the month.

He turned around, put the discounted ordinary coat back on the rack, and walked over to Lily and me.

"Elena," Mark said in a low voice, his eyes darting around. "Let's hold off on Lily's coat for now."

"I think the quality of her coat from last year is pretty good. You can undo the cuffs and resew them when we get home, and she can wear it for another month."

"I'll buy her a new one when I get my bonus next month."

I could hardly believe my ears.

"Mark! What kind of joke are you playing? Lily's wrists are completely exposed! The money for Grace's single coat is enough to buy Lily three warm coats plus snow boots!"

"Can you stop always obsessing over money?" Mark felt embarrassed and angry, glaring at me while lowering his voice.

"Grace has psychological trauma! A nice coat will help her regain her dignity at school so she won't be looked down on by those ungrateful classmates! Lily grew up surrounded by our love—It’s just one coat, Elena! She’s not going to freeze!"

"She won't freeze to death, but her father is telling her right now that she doesn't matter in this home at all!" I trembled with rage, my voice shaking.

"Enough, Elena! Screaming and shouting like a shrew in front of the kids—where are your manners?" Mark interrupted me coldly, his tone full of disappointment.

"I just want to pay back my debt of gratitude. As a mother, can't you show some big-picture thinking and compassion?"

Beside him, Grace, who had put on the new coat, cast a faint, triumphant smile toward Lily from an angle Mark couldn't see.

Lily didn't cry, nor did she argue with Mark.

She simply tugged on my sleeve and whispered: "Mom, I'm not cold. Let me just wear this, let's go home. It's okay to buy it next time."

After returning home, Mark even used "going over budget" as a justification to cancel the promise he made to take Lily out for ice cream that weekend.

Late at night, I stood at my daughter's room door.

Lily sat quietly at her desk, leveraging the faint glow of the desk lamp to open her old scrapbook.

The 29th black butterfly sticker was stuck onto the scrapbook.