Audrey let go of his sleeve and hurried toward the front door.
I watched her disappear inside.
Then I looked at Derek.
“What was that about?”
He laughed.
“Oh, nothing serious. She’s upset because we didn’t stop at the drive-through.”
I frowned.
“She has dinner waiting inside.”
“Exactly. I told her we’d be home soon enough.”
He gave me another smile.
“Teenagers, right?”
Before I could ask anything else, he drove away.
I went inside.
Audrey wasn’t in the kitchen.
Then I heard her crying in the downstairs bathroom.
I knocked gently.
“Sweetheart?”
“Go away.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Audrey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Did something happen with Derek?”
“No!”
“Then please talk to me.”
She opened the door.
Her face was wet with tears.
“Why can’t you just leave me alone?”
I stepped back.
She had never spoken to me that way.
I wasn’t angry.
I was frightened.
Something was clearly wrong, and my daughter seemed convinced I was part of the problem.
