That would have scared me sooner.
Instead, she’d send short replies.
Busy.
Talk later.
One night, I called her while driving home.
I’m fine.
If I asked to come over, she always had a reason I shouldn’t.
One night, I called her while driving home.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Hey.”
Her voice sounded low.
“You haven’t called me in two weeks.”
“You alive?”
She laughed, but it sounded forced.
“Barely. Long day.”
“You haven’t called me in two weeks.”
“I know.”
Then I heard a man’s voice in the background.
“Did I do something?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
There was a pause.
I knew she was seeing someone named Eric, but I’d only met him twice.
Then I heard a man’s voice in the background.
I knew she was seeing someone named Eric, but I’d only met him twice.
He had seemed charming.
The kind of charming that made you feel rude for not immediately liking him.
He said something I couldn’t make out.
By then, even Mom was worried.
Tina replied, “I’m getting off.”
Then she said to me, “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She didn’t.
Three weeks went by.
By then, even Mom was worried.
I tried not to turn concern into panic.
