Inside the school, the corridors buzzed with whispers. Teachers exchanged looks as Carol passed, her daughter trailing behind with defiant swagger. At the end of the hall, the secretary gestured toward a closed door. “The principal will see you now.” Carol’s pulse quickened. The past was waiting inside.
The secretary’s smile was polite but rehearsed. “Please wait here,” she said, gesturing to two chairs outside the office. Diane slouched into one, legs swinging, tapping the wall with her heel. Carol sat stiffly beside her, every tick of the clock pounding like a warning drumbeat.