The following evening, I was rinsing out her water cup when Nurse Jenny appeared at the door.

“Linda, can you step into the hallway for a minute?” My stomach dropped, but when I stepped outside, I froze. The hallway was full of teenagers. Boys in rented suits, girls in dresses, pizza boxes, balloons, drinks, and a small speaker hanging from Daryl’s wrist.

Megan, one of Carol’s classmates, stepped forward. “Mrs. Linda, we talked to Dr. Patel. She said it was okay. We wanted to bring prom to Carol.” I covered my mouth, unable to speak. “You did all this?” Daryl nodded. “We’ve been planning it for weeks.”

They walked into Carol’s room, and when she saw them in their prom clothes, she let out a sound I will never forget—half laugh, half sob. “You guys…” Megan helped her pull a sparkly top over her hospital gown. Someone turned on the music, and for the first time in months, my daughter truly laughed. The kids ate cold pizza, danced, teased each other, and for a little while, Carol was not a patient. She was just a girl at prom.