Whitney knew that Marc was the more rebellious of the two. Natalie had told her many stories of his pot smoking and failing grades. But he’d turned it around. Grew up. Whitney and Amelia had attended his wedding a few months earlier. Even though Kayla had gotten pretty good grades, and, at least according to Natalie, had never used drugs, she had been caught sneaking out to see her boyfriend a couple of times in high school. Now she was in her first year of junior college, and still living at home, but Natalie often joked that she’d never know it based on how often she saw her.

Whitney nodded. There was a time when she would’ve scoffed at Natalie’s remark, declaring that Amelia wasn’t rebellious. That she was responsible, respectful. That she always called or texted, kept in contact with Whitney. Up until recently Whitney had believed that was true. Believed that her daughter wasn’t like other teenagers.

But she didn’t think that anymore.

She thought back over the past few months. To all the times Amelia wasn’t where she said she’d be.

A couple of weeks ago, Whitney was working at the warehouse, counting inventory and taking some pictures. She’d lost track of time, working late into the evening. Before heading home, she’d checked Amelia’s location, and was relieved to see she was at the apartment. But when she’d arrived at home, Amelia was nowhere to be found. She was about to call her when she breezed in through the front door nonchalantly.

When Whitney asked her where she’d been, she said she’d gone down to the pool. Any other time Whitney would’ve believed her. The pool was one of the main selling points for moving to this apartment complex. Amelia spent much of her time there. But that night she hadn’t gone for a swim. She wasn’t wet, she wasn’t wearing her suit and she reeked like smoke.

Whitney called her on it, but Amelia said she’d just been sitting on the edge, with her feet in the pool, and that someone else had been smoking out there. It had probably just gotten on her clothes. No big deal. Then she rolled her eyes and headed back to her room.

It sounded plausible and maybe if it had been an isolated incident, Whitney would’ve bought it.

Now, Whitney felt stupid for freaking out and making Natalie come over when Amelia was simply being a rebellious teenager. Surely her anxiety was fueled by the fact that she’d gone back to the wrong house, and the fact that her relationship with Amelia had been so strained lately. She’d already been on edge, and this added to it.