My daughter “went to school” every morning… until her teacher called me and told me she’d been absent for a whole week. So the next morning I decided to follow her.

There was a brief pause on the other side.

“No,” Mrs. Carter replied gently. “He hasn’t attended any classes since Monday. I wanted to speak with you before this became a bigger problem with the attendance office.”

I felt like my stomach was going straight to the kitchen floor.

That afternoon, when Sienna returned home at her usual time, she behaved completely normally.

He complained about a history assignment.

He asked what was for dinner.

She rolled her eyes twice during a completely different conversation about dirty laundry.

I observed her carefully.

I looked for any flaw in his performance.

I didn’t find any at all.

I didn’t confront her the next morning.

I didn’t call the school again either.

Wait.

I let her leave the house exactly as usual.

The backpack hanging from one shoulder.