During the drive to school, Diane fiddled with the radio, humming tunelessly. Carol gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles whitened. She wanted to reach out, to explain everything, but the words tangled. How could she tell her daughter the truth when she barely faced it herself?
As they pulled into the lot, Diane leaned back, sighing. “Another lecture, another wasted morning.” Carol glanced at her, torn between anger and pity. “Listen,” she said softly, “not everything is a joke. Sometimes, what you say sticks with people longer than you think.” Diane rolled her eyes.