Suzie’s House 429 : An Unsightly Request

Sophie took a ragged breath. She didn’t want Emma to think she had turned into a complete shrew, but she had to put her foot down.

“Over night? In Chicago? No. I don’t think so. You’re too young.”

She set her purse down on the side table next to the couch, but didn’t sit, though this conversation threatened to take a while.

“I’m sixteen! I… I am.” Emma’s hesitancy mixed with a determination that Sophie wasn’t sure how to handle.

“When you’re eighteen you can do as you please. In the mean time you live under my roof. You will follow my rules.”

“B-b-but the recording deal will be gone by then!” Emma clinched her fists. “I’ll be with Tracy and Kate and them….”

“It’s the ‘and them’ that concerns me.”

“They’re just the people in my band.” Emma started pacing. A bad sign. “They are my friends! Nothing bad ever happens when I’m with them.” She emphasized the word ‘them’ as though bad things happen with everyone else in the world.

Sophie slumped into the couch, even though she was due at work in less than half an hour. “I’m sure there will be other… wait. Did you say ‘recording deal’? What is going on?”

“Uncle John – that’s our manager. He’s Bruce’s uncle. You remember Bruce, right? The one who was with Tracy that time… Well, anyway,” Emma’s eyes pleaded so earnestly. “Uncle John gave our demo tape to a producer friend in Chicago. And the producer guy… he.. he.. set up a gig for us. Just like the kind we’ve been, um… been doing around town….” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes cut to the side with an expression half way between worry and guilt.

“You’ve been playing gigs around town?” Sophie’s chest clinched. Just how much had her daughter been up to lately?

“This is what I get to even asking. If I hadn’t said anything you wouldn’t even have noticed that I’m gone!”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m just… just…. It’s the truth! You aren’t home anymore. You wouldn’t even notice if I wasn’t here.

Sophie sighed. She wanted to be here for her daughter, but if she was late for work again she’d get fired. She had no idea what to do.

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