For the next two months, our home became a workshop.
Fabric covered the dining table. Thread rolled under chairs. Pins showed up in places I still don’t understand.
The badge stayed on the mantle in a velvet box.
Not his official one—that had been returned after the funeral.
This one was more special.
I remembered the night he gave it to her.
Wren was three, sitting on the living room floor when Matt came home and crouched beside her.
“I’ve got something for you,” he said, holding out a small badge.
It wasn’t official—just carefully shaped metal, polished to shine. His number was written across it in marker.
“I made you your own so you can be my partner.”
Wren held it with both hands.
“Am I a police officer too?”
He smiled. “You’re my brave girl.”
One evening, as the dress neared completion, Wren picked up the badge.
“I want it here,” she said, pressing her hand over her heart.
I hesitated. People might misunderstand. They might judge.
But she already knew that—and still chose to wear it.
“I think that’s beautiful,” I said.
On prom night, when Wren came downstairs, I couldn’t hold back my tears.
The structure of the uniform was still there, but softened into something elegant. And over her heart—the badge.
When we entered the gym, people noticed.
Some stared. Some nodded.
Wren stood taller.
Then everything changed.
A group of girls approached, led by Chloe—a confident, prom-queen type.
She looked Wren up and down and laughed.
“Oh wow. This is actually kind of sad.”
The room quieted.
“You really made your whole personality about a dead cop?” Chloe sneered.
I clenched my fists.
Wren tried to walk away, but Chloe blocked her.
“You know what’s worse?” Chloe continued. “He’s probably watching you right now… and he’s embarrassed.”
Before I could react, Chloe lifted her drink.
“Let’s fix this.”
She poured the punch directly onto Wren’s chest.
The liquid spread across the navy fabric, soaking into the seams and dripping over the badge.
No one moved.
Then phones came out.
Wren looked down and frantically tried to clean the badge, silent and shaking.
I started toward Chloe—
Then the speakers screeched.
Everyone turned.
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