My mother asked me to cut the tag from her dress before they closed the coffin

Dear Delyara, My mother bought the dress she wanted to be buried in five years before she died. Deep purple, tiny gold buttons, far too fancy for ordinary life. She kept it wrapped in plastic and told all four daughters where it was stored. At the funeral home, while helping dress her, I noticed the price tag was still attached inside the collar. My mother never removed tags until she was certain she would keep something. I almost laughed. Then I remembered her saying, years ago, “If I change my mind, somebody can return it.” Mum was dead, and somehow the dress still believed a return was possible. I asked the funeral director for scissors. My sister said leave it. I said absolutely not. We argued quietly over our mother’s body about a cardboard tag worth $89.99. Finally, I cut it off. I put the tag in my handbag. Why? I have no idea. Maybe because removing it was the last practical thing I could do as her daughter: Mum, you’re keeping this one. No receipt needed. No exchange. No changing your mind. Tonight, the tag is on my bedside table. I keep turning it over and imagining her saying I should have waited for a sale.