That irritated me even more.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m some terrible mother because I work.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Nadine folded her arms.
“Tessa asked me not to tell you because she wants to explain it herself.”
“Then she can explain it tonight.”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tomorrow matters to her.”
I laughed once, bitterly.
“This is ridiculous.”
Nadine looked directly at me.
“Then humor me. Be there at six.”
“I have a deadline.”
“Marla.”
Something in her voice made me stop.
“Be there this time.”
This time.
Two words.
And somehow they found every place in me I had been avoiding for years.
I thought of the winter concert I had watched through Nadine’s phone because I’d arrived after the last song.
The science fair where I showed up while teachers were folding tables.
The parent breakfast Eric attended alone because I had a meeting.
I hated that she was right enough to hurt me.
“Don’t make this about my job.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m making it about tomorrow night.”
I turned toward my car.
Behind me, Nadine said, “When you understand why she cut it, you’re going to wish you had been paying closer attention.”
I spun around.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
But she had already opened her door.
“Six o’clock, Marla.”
The next afternoon, I came home earlier than usual.
Tessa and Nadine were already leaving for school.
Tessa had replaced the sweatshirt with a knitted beanie pulled low over her ears.
I nearly called after her.
Then I noticed her backpack sitting beside the stairs.
“Tessa forgot her bag,” I muttered.
I picked it up, meaning to drive it over.
The zipper wasn’t completely closed, and when I lifted it, several notebooks shifted.
Something crumpled fell onto the floor.
A piece of lined paper.
I should have left it alone.
I know that now.
But after everything that had happened, I opened it.
There were only a few words written across the page.
Next time, I’ll make sure there’s nothing left to cut.
My hands went numb.
I read it again.
Then again.
Suddenly the haircut didn’t look like a choice anymore.
Had someone threatened Tessa?
Had something happened at school that she was too frightened to tell me?
Was that why she had cut her hair?
I grabbed my phone.
Before I could call Nadine, it rang.
My boss, Caroline.
“Marla, thank God. Jen went home sick, and we’re buried. I need you back here for a couple of hours.”
Normally, my answer would have been automatic.
Sure.
Of course.
I’m on my way.
In fact, I already had my purse in my hand.
Then I looked down at the note.
I thought about Tessa sitting on her bed, crying.
I thought about Nadine saying, Be there this time.
“I can’t,” I said.
Silence.
“What?”
“I can’t come back tonight.”
“Marla, this isn’t a good night to suddenly become unavailable.”
“My daughter has something at school.”
Another pause.
“You told me yesterday you’d finish the account.”
“I did finish it.”
“And now I need you here.”
“I can’t.”
Caroline exhaled sharply.
