I forced my mother to face the consequences after she ridiculed me for purchasing this prom dress and ruining it.
My mother had a way of sabotaging my best moments every time. It was the same this time around. But with my retaliation, I made sure she never did it again.
I was giddy with anticipation for my senior prom five years ago. For months, I had been anticipating this moment, picturing the ideal evening spent dancing and commemorating my friends’ graduation from high school. I had no idea that my own mother would spoil it for me.
My best buddy and I went clothing shopping for our senior prom. As we got dressed on this beautiful morning, we could not contain our enthusiasm and were both excited.
As we entered the store, we noticed gorgeous dresses wherever we turned. But one pink gown drew our eye, and I fell in love with it right away.
I bought the stunning mermaid-style dress immediately away. I showed my mom the dress when I came home, but I hadn’t worn it yet. She showed no discernible reaction.
My mother said she would take me to her friend who is a tailor because the skirt needed to be hemmed. I saw her as offering encouragement. I had no idea that was the quiet before the storm.
She said she was embarrassed to be seen with me in the dress and that I had embarrassed her in front of her friend after giving my dress to her friend. I was furious.
My mother’s remarks shocked me, and I was totally taken aback by her offer to assist with the outfit. That she knew she didn’t like it, yet still volunteered to have it mended, didn’t make sense.
I took the dress and just started crying a few days later. She had covered the upper and lower portions and REMADE it into a BAG. An hour later, furious as hell, I was carrying out my revenge scheme.
My mom nearly broke down when I stole her favorite dress and turned it into the prom dress I bought on prom day, when I went outside the home for pictures.
“Grace, how did you get caught? Mom said, “That’s my favorite dress!”
“Oh, that one you destroyed? I felt that I should repay the courtesy,” I responded composedly.
“You are very daring! “I’m upset because that dress was pricey and significant to me,” she yelled.
“My prom outfit held great significance to me. However, did you really not give that any thought? I gave a forceful response.
“I was only attempting to keep you safe. It was an improper clothing,” she said, trying to gather her thoughts.
“No, it was an attempt to subjugate me. It was pointless for you to be ashamed of me. It’s my prom, and I should feel secure and gorgeous. I shook my head. “If you can’t support that, then you need to deal with the consequences.”
“I had no idea that meant so much to you. I apologize, I shouldn’t have done that,” she replied with a discouraged expression.
Mom, it’s too late now. I softened a little, saying, “I hope you understand what it feels like to have something you care about destroyed.”
“Yes, and I’m sorry. But you could have made your point without ruining my clothing,” she moaned.
“Perhaps not. However, you are now aware of how it feels. “Hopefully, we can get past this,” I said, inhaling deeply.
“I really do want to get over this. She sobbed, “I want to make it up to you and I really apologize.”
“We’ll see. I have a prom to go to right now. I gave her a quick hug and said, “I hope you can understand why I did what I did.”
“Yes, I do. I hope you have an amazing time at your prom. You appear stunning,” she gave a nod.
And with that, I walked out of the house, feeling both relieved and depressed. Even though I knew it would take time for our relationship to mend, I felt strong enough to advocate for myself. I felt lovely and self-assured in my outfit when I got to prom and was excited to spend the evening with my pals.
The night was successful since I created wonderful memories. We laughed, danced, and took a ton of pictures. But when it was all over and I had to return home, reality set in. I was aware that I needed to rebuild my relationship with my mother.
Our connection was strained after that day. We didn’t talk as much, and when we did, it was generally heated and short. My mother appeared to completely sidestep the subject of the prom.
She appeared to be making an effort to deny anything happened. However, I was unable to ignore it. The betrayal and hurt persisted. We began talking more freely about our emotions as time went on. A few months after prom, I sat down with her one evening.
I started, “Mom, we need to talk about what happened,” a knot in my throat growing.
Her eyes softened as she turned to face me. “Grace, I am aware. It’s been on my mind as well. I sincerely apologize for what I did. It was incorrect.
“Thank you, but it’s not just about the outfit. What matters is how you made me feel. Like my decisions didn’t matter,” I murmured, trying not to cry.
Tears filled her eyes as she nodded. “My attempt to dominate you was incorrect. I was being selfish, even though I felt I was protecting you. Thank you so much, Grace.”
I reached out to take her hand in response and said, “I need you to trust me and support me.”
“Yes, I will. I swear. She squeezed my hand and whispered, “I just want us to move past this and be close again.”
Although it wasn’t a quick repair, it was a start. To understand each other a little better, we both tried to come to a compromise, and it really made a big difference, which pleased us.
Our relationship started to mend gradually. We improved our ability to communicate and respect one another’s personal space. We had a lot of open discussions and perseverance before we were able to mend the damaged trust.
In retrospect, I see that the event marked a sea change for us both. It made us realize how crucial understanding and respect are to our relationship. Even though it was a traumatic event, we both gained important life lessons from it, which ultimately strengthened our bond.
In one scenario, Grace’s mother chose to damage her dress, whereas in the next, parents donated their daughter’s prom dress. She had saved up for it, and as time went on, she grew to love it. From then on, it was her go-to attire until something else happened.
Am I Wrong for What I Did When My Parents Gave My Sister My Dream Prom Dress?
Despite not having much money, my family has always been able to get by. I had been saving money for my beautiful dress for prom for over a year when I finally attended in 2017.
I still wear the gown on special events as it gave me confidence. My younger sister has always admired my dress and is getting ready for her prom night.
I’ve grown attached to my dress. Throughout high school, I was constantly self-conscious about my appearance, so wearing it helps me feel better. My younger sibling just asked to wear the dress to her prom, so I said yes. Observing my feelings, I politely declined.
But while I was at it, I volunteered to assist her in finding another attractive clothing. She appeared content and at peace with it, feeling grateful for this.
I presently attend school full-time and reside in a dorm. I still have some of my clothing on from prom at home. I was stunned when I first entered the house on a rare visit home one day.
My sister was getting help from my mother and grandmother to put on my prom dress when I arrived. The two seemed to be intending to cut the gown to fit her better because they were so busy measuring her.
After seeing all of that, I was furious. I was portrayed as the villain afterwards because of what unexpectedly happened to me next. But neither my mother nor my grandmother offered me an apology.
