Chapter 6: The Message from Mrs. Patterson

As they left, I called after them, “Be kind to each other.”

Jeremiah opened the car door with a flourish.

“We will, Mom.”

I watched the taillights disappear and told myself I had done something good.

An hour later, I saw a video from the limo.

Ella was pressed against the window.

Jeremiah’s voice was somewhere off camera, saying something I could not hear over the music.

Then a message notification appeared from Mrs. Patterson, Jeremiah’s AP English teacher.

I ignored it at first.

She had emailed me before, saying Jeremiah seemed withdrawn and watchful in class.

I had brushed her off.

I knew my son.

Or I thought I did.

Then another message came.

Mrs. Carter, IS THIS YOUR SON?

A second message followed.

Ella just came to my classroom sobbing. She told me everything. She told me you paid her. Continue Reading ⬇️