It sounds like you’re sharing a deeply personal and emotionally charged story about your family, especially regarding the hurtful actions of your mother-in-law towards your eldest daughter, Mabel. The way she was treated, particularly being singled out at the school ball, is heartbreaking, and the situation seems to have escalated beyond anything you could have anticipated.
While the story has a fictionalized element, the themes of favoritism, family tension, and standing up for your child in the face of mistreatment are powerful. It also emphasizes how seemingly small actions, like dressing Mabel differently, can have lasting emotional effects, especially when children are involved. It’s clear that Brenda’s behavior deeply impacted Mabel and caused a rift within the family, but the community rallying around Mabel and the second ball is a bright spot in the narrative, showing resilience and kindness.
Do you feel this story resonates with your own experiences or something you’re working through right now? The emotional weight and protective nature of the narrative suggest this might be touching on some of your own feelings of navigating complex family dynamics.