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I felt Kendall’s gaze on me. “Let’s be clear about one thing: If you move, I go with you.”
“What about Sophie?” Kendall’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror.
“What about her?” My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
“You’d leave her? She owns the bakery. She can’t move.”
My stomach tightened. “That’s true.”
“So, you’d what? Break up over me?” Kendall’s voice rose in pitch.
I sighed. “Kendall, you’re my daughter. You’ll always come first.”
Kendall looked out the window. “I get that, but you need to consider her, too.”
“What do you want?” I asked her.
She pursed her lips. “I want to stay. I like it here.”
Relief flooded my system. I’d been prepared to move, to do whatever Kendall needed me to do, but it didn’t mean that’s what I wanted.
“I’m sorry I worried you and Sophie,” she said quietly.
It was telling that she didn’t mention worrying Melanie. “The important thing is that you’re here now. Safe and healthy.”
Kendall shook her head. “I shouldn’t have run away.”
This was one of those big parenting moments I didn’t want to screw up. “You shouldn’t have. You could have talked to me about it.”
Kendall looked at me. “Just don’t be mad at Sophie. It wasn’t her fault.”
“I know that.”
“Make sure she knows it, too.”
I glanced over at her. She sounded so much older than her age. “I will.”
But first, I needed to make sure Kendall was okay. I couldn’t leave her tonight.
When we pulled into the driveway, the police vehicles were gone, but my parents’ car was in the driveway.
“Why are Grandma and Grandpa here?” Kendall asked as she got out.
“They’re probably worried about you. The police wanted them to stay at home in case you showed up there.”
We stepped out of the truck, and Mom rushed out of the car to hug Kendall. “We were so worried.”
Dad followed at a slower pace. He was never one for emotional reunions.
Kendall pulled back from my mother’s embrace. “I’m so sorry I worried everyone. It was stupid.”
Mom patted Kendall’s shoulder. “Your feelings are valid. But there are better ways to handle these things. You shouldn’t run away from your problems.”
Kendall gave me a pointed look.
Was she saying that’s what I was doing with Sophie? Instead, I asked my parents, “Can you stay for dinner?”
Mom smiled and wrapped an arm around Kendall. “We’d love to,” she said to me. Then to Kendall, “Let’s get you some food. I brought a casserole.”
