“Mom, maybe we didn’t tell her we were leaving. She’s probably sulking. We can make it up to her when we get home,” Allie said, gently shaking Mom’s hand in reassurance.

“That’s my Allie, so well-behaved, unlike that wild girl. Make it up to her? She should be lucky if she doesn’t have to spend the entire night in time-out. Forget her for now. Allie, come see the photos I took for you. Do you like them?” Mom, happily hugging Allie, looked at the photos, once again casting me aside.

Even though I was dead, I still felt a pang of bitterness rise within me at Mom’s scolding. I couldn’t...