Chapter 1

When our daughter Chloe started college, my husband Sean and I decided to drive her to campus for move-in day.

Along the way, we also picked up Sean’s childhood friend, Lauren, and her son, Mason.

During the drive, Chloe suddenly suggested a name-that-song game. We’d hear the intro, guess the title, and whoever got the fewest right would have to take a punishment.

Once the music started, I didn’t recognize a single song.

But every time an intro played, the four of them practically shouted the answer at once.

Lauren sat in the passenger seat. She glanced at the playlist on her phone and covered her mouth with a laugh.

“Oh, it’s my personal playlist. No wonder everything sounds so familiar. This doesn’t count as cheating, does it?”

Sean answered casually, “How is that cheating? There’s nothing about you I don’t know.”

Chloe giggled. “Lauren has great taste. These are all songs people my age listen to.”

It was a seven-seater, yet I was stuck in the very back with the luggage, unable to get a word in.

Only when the game ended did Lauren finally turn around to look at me.

“Erin, you didn’t get a single one right. A bet’s a bet. You’re not going to back out, are you?”

“We’re not that far from campus anymore. How about your punishment is walking to the bus stop and taking the bus the rest of the way? Everyone agree?”

My entire body stiffened.

It was ninety-six degrees outside, and the GPS showed the nearest bus stop was eighteen miles away.

Chloe nodded.

“Agreed. Mom, you suck at this. If you lose, you take the punishment. Besides, sitting back there, all you’re doing is passing us snacks anyway.”

Sean pulled over without another word.

“You can’t stop here long. Hurry up.”

They left me on the side of the road without a cent on me.

The car pulled away immediately.

Not one of them hesitated.

I bought a train ticket home without a second thought.

Then I contacted a realtor and told them to list the house for an expedited sale.

...

The second my payment went through, I called a rideshare to the station.

We hadn’t been driving long when Sean called.

“Where are you? Chloe’s dorm still needs to be set up. Hurry over here.”

I watched the interstate signs slide past outside the window.

“I’m almost at the station.”

There was a pause on the other end.

“What did you say?”

“I said I’m not going to campus.”

Sean’s voice instantly turned cold.

“Erin, seriously? Today is Chloe’s first day of college. What kind of tantrum are you throwing now?”

“I’m not throwing a tantrum.”

He let out a disbelieving laugh.

“Unbelievable. Lauren is helping Chloe make her bed right now, while her actual mother just turns around and leaves. How do you think that makes your daughter feel?”

Noise filled the background, followed by Lauren’s gentle voice.

“Don’t worry. I’ll put the sheets on.”

Sean lowered his voice.

“I’m telling you one last time. Come back. Now.”

I hung up.

By the time I reached the station and passed through security, Chloe was calling.

She sounded furious.

“Mom, what the hell are you doing? Dad said you went home?”

“Today is my move-in day! Everyone else has their parents here, and you’re the only one missing. Do you know how embarrassing that is?”

I looked up at the departure board.

Boarding started in five minutes.

“You have Lauren with you. I thought you liked her better than me anyway.”

She didn’t see anything wrong with that.

Instead, she kept complaining.

“You’ve got some nerve saying that. Lauren’s been helping me unpack this whole time while my actual mom isn’t even here.”

“I still need to buy stuff, pay my dorm deposit, and cover my meal plan. I’m short. Send me five hundred dollars.”

For the first time in my life, I refused my daughter.

“No.”

There were two seconds of silence.

Then Chloe snapped.

“What do you mean, no? I’m in college now. Everything costs money, and you’re seriously not giving me any?”

“Your dad’s there. Ask him.”

She immediately complained, “You’ve always been the one who gave me spending money.”

“I’m taking everyone on my floor out to eat tonight, and I need new shoes. Eight hundred dollars a month isn’t enough.”

“That’s your problem.”

Chloe’s voice trembled with rage.

“Are you doing this to get back at me because we made you get out of the car?”

“Think whatever you want.”

I hung up and put my phone on silent.

Less than half an hour later, Chloe sent me a photo.

She stood outside her dorm, smiling brightly.

Lauren was beside her, looking down as she straightened Chloe’s collar.

Sean stood on Chloe’s other side, with Mason next to him.

The four of them looked perfectly happy together.

Like a family.

Under the picture was one sentence.

“Whatever. I’ve got someone else to be my mom.”

I stared at the picture for two seconds.

Then I deleted it without expression.

My train arrived.