One evening, I found her standing at the sink with tears running down her face.
“Anna?”
She quickly wiped them away.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I’m just stressed about college.”
I believed her.
Or maybe I wanted to.
A few days later, I asked again.
“Did Rick say something to you?”
She froze.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Fear.
Then she shook her head.
“No.”
“Anna.”
“Mom, please.”
She looked directly at me.
“Don’t marry him.”
I remember laughing nervously because I thought she was scared of losing me.
“Baby, we’ve talked about this.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
She looked toward the hallway.
Then back at me.
“You don’t know everything about him.”
My smile disappeared.
“What does that mean?”
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
“I can’t explain yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because I need to be sure.”
“Sure of what?”
She shook her head.
“Just promise me you won’t ask him about this.”
That made no sense.
Of course I asked Rick.
Later that night, I told him what Anna had said.
He sighed.
Then he smiled sadly.
“She’s eighteen,” he said. “She’s scared everything is changing.”
“She told me I don’t know everything about you.”
