At twelve, I unexpectedly found myself spending the week at home without adult supervision, worried that speaking up might cause problems in Dad’s marriage. But I never imagined Dad had been misled too…

Chapter 4 — The Woman at the Door

Grandma Evelyn wasn’t supposed to walk around very much.

At least, that’s what she’d explained during my previous visit.

She’d been resting in her recliner beneath a blanket, complaining about her young physical therapist, who apparently seemed determined to make every exercise unpleasant.

“That young man smiles while putting me through misery,” she’d complained.

I laughed until she insisted I fetch her some water.

On Tuesday morning, Grandma occupied that same recliner when something caught her attention on Facebook.

It was a photograph Dad had shared the previous evening.

He and Andrea stood outside their vacation cabin.

Mountains, tall trees, and a gorgeous sunset filled the background.

Dad had written beneath it:

Finally enjoying a little getaway. Just the two of us.

Grandma studied the photograph.

She’d understood that I was accompanying them.

Andrea had told her they’d located a bigger cabin containing another bedroom after Grandma explained she couldn’t accommodate me.

Grandma had felt relieved.

She hadn’t wanted me spending my school vacation indoors while she recovered from surgery.

But Dad’s caption suggested they were traveling alone.

Grandma immediately called him.

He picked up after three rings.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Nathan, where’s Molly?”

Silence followed.

“What are you asking?”

“Where is she?”

“She’s staying with you.”

Grandma straightened in her chair.

“No, she’s not.”

Dad chuckled briefly, assuming she was teasing.

“Mom, Andrea told me you collected her on Saturday.”

“Nathan, I haven’t gone anywhere except my physical therapy appointments.”

“What?”

“I explained to Andrea that Molly couldn’t stay here. She told me you were taking her along.”

Dad fell silent.

Grandma heard the sound of a chair sliding across the floor.

Then he answered, “Just a second.”

I was preparing lunch in the kitchen when my phone began ringing.

Dad was calling.

I smiled immediately.

Then Andrea’s instructions returned to my mind.

I allowed the phone to ring unanswered.

Moments afterward, it started ringing again.

I watched Dad’s name glowing on the screen.

Maybe he simply wanted to talk. Maybe he’d finally started missing me.

I reached toward my phone.

But the ringing stopped before I could answer.

Then a message arrived.

Molly, call me right away, please.

My heartbeat quickened.

Was something wrong?

I tried calling Andrea first.

She didn’t pick up.

Then I heard knocking at our front door.

“Molly?”

Mrs. Ruiz was outside.

I headed into the hallway.

“Molly, sweetheart, it’s Mrs. Ruiz. Please open the door.”

I peered through the narrow window beside the entrance.

She stood on our porch with her phone in one hand.

Something about her expression seemed different.

She looked concerned.

I unlocked the door.

“Hello.”

Mrs. Ruiz glanced over my shoulder into the house.

“Where is your father?”

“He’s away on vacation.”

“And Andrea?”

“She went with him.”

Mrs. Ruiz studied my face.

“Is anybody else staying here?”

I slowly shook my head.

She inhaled deeply.

“How many days have you been here alone?”

“Since Saturday.”

“Since Saturday?”

I nodded.

Her gaze shifted toward the kitchen, then upstairs.

“Have you been staying here overnight alone?”

“Yes.”

“Every single night?”

I suddenly felt rather embarrassed.

“Andrea told me it was fine.”

Mrs. Ruiz placed one hand against her chest.

“Oh, sweetheart.”

“Have I done something wrong?”

“No. Absolutely not, honey.”

She came inside.

“Could you sit down for a moment?”

I settled onto the lowest stair.

Mrs. Ruiz knelt down before me.

“Your father just called me.”

My stomach tightened.

“Is he angry?”

Her expression immediately changed.

“Why would he be angry?”

“Because I wasn’t meant to interrupt his vacation.”

She glanced toward her phone.

“Who told you that?”

“Andrea.”

Mrs. Ruiz remained silent.

Then she offered me her phone.

“Your father would like to speak with you.”

I accepted it using both hands.

“Dad?”

“Molly?”

Something about his voice seemed different.

Strained.

Almost short of breath.

“Hi.”

“Sweetheart, are you alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Did anything happen to you?”

“No.”

“Have you been eating properly?”

“Yes.”

“Is Mrs. Ruiz there with you?”

I glanced toward her.

“Yes.”

“Alright. That’s good.”

I could hear his breathing.

Then he asked, “Molly, who told you to remain at home?”

“Andrea.”

Silence followed.

“Did she say I’d agreed to it?”

“Yes.”

I expected him to explain everything.

Instead, he said something that made my stomach tighten.

“Molly, I believed you were staying with Grandma.”

I stared straight ahead at the wall.

“What?”

“Andrea told me Grandma collected you after I departed Saturday.”

“But she told me you knew.”

“I didn’t.”

I turned toward Mrs. Ruiz.

She was observing me with concern.

Nothing made sense.

I’d spent four days doing my best to behave responsibly.

I’d prepared meals, tidied the kitchen, secured the doors, and endured a thunderstorm without contacting anybody.

I’d followed every instruction Andrea had given me.

And now Dad was explaining that he’d known nothing about it.

“Molly?”

I held the phone closer against my ear.

“Yeah?”

“I’m heading home.”

“But what about your vacation—”

“The vacation doesn’t matter.”

His voice trembled.

“You’re what matters to me.”

I couldn’t find any words.

Then he asked something I’ve never forgotten.

“Sweetheart, why didn’t you tell me you were staying alone?”

I glanced down at the sweatshirt I still had on.

It belonged to Dad.

And I quietly gave the only explanation I could.

“Because I believed that’s what you wanted.”

PART 5