My Wife Said My Daughter Was Taking A Nap Upstairs — Ten Minutes Later, I Heard Her Pounding On The Car Window
/
Chapter 16 / 20
Chapter 16
Sophie graduated high school with honors.
Her cap had a tiny drawing of an open car door.
Under it:
I got out.
Elaine cried.
Tom cried.
James cried.
I was hopeless.
Sophie rolled her eyes.
“You are all embarrassing.”
Yes.
Proudly.
She studied social work and forensic psychology.
She said she wanted to understand how adults make children’s voices disappear and how systems can stop them sooner.
At college drop-off, she placed Rachel’s locket on her desk.
Then turned to me.
“You can go, Dad.”
I froze.
She smiled.
“This is different.”
“I know.”
“No locked doors.”
“No locked doors.”
She hugged me.
“I’ll call.”
“Whenever you want.”
“And you won’t panic if I don’t answer immediately?”
I hesitated.
She raised an eyebrow.
May you like
“I will panic internally.”
“Acceptable.”
