Nia hesitated.
"Vanessa put it somewhere safe."
Ava frowned.
"Mom said you lost it."
Nia stared.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Ava looked toward the empty pouches.
"Did you?"
Nia shook her head.
Ava moved closer.
"Then why did she say that?"
Nia didn't answer.
She didn't want to make Ava feel as though she had to choose between her mother and her stepsister.
So she closed the chest.
Then asked if Ava wanted to draw.
The younger girl nodded.
They spent the next hour making pictures of imaginary gardens.
But Ava didn't forget the conversation.
A few days later, she overheard Vanessa speaking on the phone.
Her mother was standing in the laundry room, discussing a payment that needed to be made before the end of the week.
Ava didn't understand the details.
She only heard one sentence clearly.
"I've already used most of the jewelry. I need a little more time."
For a moment, Ava stood frozen outside the door.
Then she quietly walked away.
She was only eight, but she understood enough to know that something wasn't right.
The shopping trip had been planned as a celebration.
Marcus had just completed negotiations on a major engineering contract, and he wanted to do something special for the children before school resumed.
He told Vanessa to take all three shopping and make sure everyone had the clothes and supplies they needed.
He also promised to meet them for lunch if his final business meeting ended early.
Nia was excited.
She'd found a pair of white sneakers she loved.
They were simple.
Comfortable.
And practical enough for school.
She checked the price several times before asking her father.
Marcus looked at the photograph on her phone.
"Those look good."
Nia smiled.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Get the right size. Your feet are still growing."
She laughed.
Then he promised Vanessa would help her find them.
The following morning, Nia dressed carefully.
She put on her yellow sweatshirt because it was one of the few things that still fit comfortably.
Then she checked the adhesive strip holding her sneaker together.
It looked secure.
She hoped it would last until they reached the store.
At Briarwood Department Store, Vanessa immediately took Caleb and Ava toward the designer children's section.
They selected jackets, shoes, jeans, and accessories.
Nia followed, holding a small handwritten list of what she needed.
New shoes.
Two pairs of jeans.
A school backpack.
And a packet of socks.
She didn't ask for expensive decorations or luxury clothing.
She just wanted things that fit.