“Mom, calm down,” Derek said, his voice tired. “Look, I’ll take care of it when I get back, okay? Just… don’t fight with her. Please.”

“But Derek, she —”

“I know, Mom. I know. But just let it go for now. I’ll deal with it.”

I sighed, feeling defeated. “Alright, Derek. But something needs to be done.”

“I promise, Mom. Just hang in there.”

The call ended, and my heart raced. What was she hiding? My mind raced with possibilities, none of them good. Whatever it was, it was clear she was up to something behind Derek’s back. And she wasn’t being honest with me, either.

I had to do something but didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I needed proof. As much as it pained me, I decided to wait and see if she would slip up again. I couldn’t accuse her without knowing the full story.

My patience was rewarded sooner than I expected. That evening, Lindsay left the house, saying she was going to “meet a friend.” I didn’t believe her for a second. As soon as she was gone, I grabbed my phone and called Derek again.

“Derek, something’s wrong,” I said as soon as he picked up. “Lindsay’s been acting suspicious. I overheard her on the phone earlier, and it didn’t sound good.”

“What do you mean, suspicious?” Derek asked, sounding concerned.

“I’m not sure, but it was like she was hiding something from us. And now she’s gone out, saying she’s meeting a friend. Derek, I don’t trust her.”

Derek sighed heavily on the other end. “Mom, I don’t know what to say. I’ve been getting weird vibes from her too, but I didn’t want to think the worst. Do you think she’s…?”

I didn’t want to finish the thought, but I knew what he was implying. “I don’t know, Derek. But something’s off, and I think we need to find out what.”