Stacey hesitated, her face still hidden. “I don’t know, Mom,” she muttered, her voice barely audible. After a long pause, she added, “I just… I don’t want to get anyone into trouble.” Brenda’s heart sank. This small admission hinted at a larger story, but it wasn’t enough.
Brenda’s mind was filled with wild scenarios, each more terrifying than the last. Had Stacey been pressured into something dangerous? Surely it couldn’t be her baby, can it? Had she gotten herself embroiled in some criminal activity? The unanswered questions clawed at her, and the weight of it all threatened to overwhelm her. She needed the truth—and fast.