“I’m going to Billy’s,” Stephen announced shortly after they returned home.
“Be back before dark,” Nancy cautioned.
“I will.”
“Where have I heard that one before?”
“I will, Mom!”
In his absence, the tension seemed to increase again tenfold. Drew seemed uneasy, Nancy disappointed, Carrie frustrated. And yet no one said a word. Megan sighed. It looked like it was her job to play negotiator again.
“Well?” she asked. “Can we talk about this?”
She received no answer.
“It’s OK, Meg,” Carrie said. “They’re too stubborn to listen anyway…”
“Unbelievable,” Drew muttered, shaking his head.
“You know, Carrie,” Nancy suggested. “Maybe you ought to talk to a counselor about this….”
“I don’t need to talk to a counselor!” she rebuffed. “I need for you to stay out of my life.”