A year after losing her son, Mave feared she was losing her daughter too. The cheerful family home that once echoed with laughter had become painfully quiet, and seventeen-year-old Hazel spent most of her days hidden behind a closed bedroom door. Before tragedy touched their lives, Hazel had been outgoing, creative, and full of energy. Now she rarely left her room and seemed disconnected from the world around her. Only one person still reached her consistently—Eli, the quiet boy who had been her closest friend since childhood. He never pressured her to talk or pretend everything was fine. He simply showed up, sat beside her, and reminded her she wasn’t completely alone. As prom season approached, Mave remembered a promise her son Mason had often made: if no one ever asked Hazel to prom, he would proudly take her himself. Wanting to honor that memory, Mave gently encouraged Hazel to try on just one dress, hoping it might help her take a small step forward.

For a moment, it seemed possible. Hazel agreed to visit a few dress shops, and Mave allowed herself to feel something she hadn’t felt in months—hope. But the outing quickly became difficult. Several stores didn’t have suitable options, and with every disappointment Hazel retreated further into herself. Then, at a boutique on Maple Street, she spotted a beautiful ivory gown displayed in the window and quietly asked if she could try it on. The response she received left her discouraged and silent for the rest of the day. Back home, she locked herself in her room and refused to discuss prom again. Mave sat outside the door feeling helpless, terrified that every attempt to help was only pushing her daughter further away. It seemed as though all hope of reconnecting Hazel with the world had disappeared.