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The front door banged open and Marah was home, looking excited. "Youll never guess what happened to me today. "
Johnny put down his paper. "What?"
"Christopher, Jenny, Josh, and I are going to the Tacoma Dome to see Nine Inch Nails. Can you believe it? Josh asked me. "
Kate took a deep breath. Shed learned to react slowly with Marah.
"A concert, huh?" Johnny said. "Who are these kids? How old are they?"
"Josh and Chris are juniors. And dont worry, well wear our seat belts. "
"When is the concert?" he asked.
"Tuesday. "
"On a school night? You think youre going on a date, with a junior, to a concert, on a school night. " Kate looked at Johnny. "Thats wrong on so many levels. "
"When does it start?" Johnny asked.
"Nine. We should be home by two oclock. "
Kate couldnt help herself: she laughed. She had no idea how her husband could stay so reasonable. "Should be home by two oclock? You must be joking, Marah. Youre fourteen years old. "
"Jennys fourteen and she gets to go. Daddy?" Marah turned to Johnny. "You have to let me go. "
"Youre too young," he said. "Sorry. "
"Im not too young. Everyone gets to do stuff like this except me. "
Kates heart went out to Marah. She remembered being in a hurry to grow up, how sharp that need could be in a girl. "I know you think were too strict, Marah, but sometimes life—"
"Oh, please. Not another lame life-is speech. " With a snort, she ran upstairs and slammed her bedroom door shut.
Kate felt a wave of exhaustion so profound she almost sat down. Instead, she looked at her husband. "Im so glad I came downstairs. "
Johnny smiled. It came easily, too. How was it that he could do the same battles with Marah that Kate did, but manage to come out unscathed? And loved? "Your timing with her is always impeccable. " He stood up, kissed her. "I love you," he said simply.
She knew it was meant to be a Band-Aid, those words, and she appreciated it.
"Ill go make dinner and then try talking to her. Give her some time to cool down. "
He sat back down, returned to his paper. "Call Jennys mom and tell her shes an idiot. "
"Ill leave that to you. " She went into the kitchen and started dinner. For almost an hour, she lost herself in slicing vegetables for stir-fry, and making Marahs favorite teriyaki marinade. At six oclock, she tossed the salad, put the biscuits in the oven, and set the table. Usually that was Marahs job, setting the table, but there was no point in asking for help tonight.
"Okay," she said, coming back into the living room, where Johnny was sprawled on the floor with his boys, building something out of Legos. "Im going in. "
Johnny looked up. "The Kevlar vest is in the coat closet. "
In the comforting wake of his laughter, Kate went upstairs. At the closed door to her daughters room, which sported a yellow KEEP OUT sign, she paused, steeling herself, then knocked.
There was no answer.
"Marah?" she said after a moment. "I know youre upset, but we need to talk about this. "
She waited, knocked again, and opened the door.
In the jumble of clothes and books and movies, it took Kate a moment to process what she was seeing.
