"Emily hasn't been in class all week," her teacher told me. That made no sense — I watched my daughter leave every morning. So I followed her. When she stepped off the bus and got into a pickup truck instead of going inside, my heart stopped. When the truck pulled away, I drove after them.
I never thought I'd be the kind of mother who follows her child, but when I discovered she'd been lying to me, that's exactly what I did.
Emily is 14. Her dad, Mark, and I split up years ago. He's the guy who remembers your favorite ice cream but forgets to sign permission slips or book appointments. Mark is all heart but no organization, and I couldn't carry it all by myself anymore.
I thought Emily had adjusted well.
But the terrible teens have a way of bringing problems to the surface.
I discovered she'd been lying to me.
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