Chapter Three

Sarah and Julia

The next evening, about a half hour after Adam got home from work, again the front doorbell rang. Without saying anything to Adam, Kristina answered it. It was Sarah and Julia. And with a weak smile, Kristina let them in and led them to the kitchen where Adam was getting himself a drink.

"You have company," Kristina said, then quietly left the room, not wanting to get mixed up in their family politics. Adam just shook his head, knowing what was coming.

"Go ahead," he said. "Say it. Get it all out in the open."

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to Haddie?" Sarah said. "Do you know...?"

"Stop!" Adam interrupted. "Stop right there. You cannot expect me to stand here and listen to you two parrot everything Mom has said about me and about Haddie, and about how she is okay with her sneaking around and lying to both me and Kristina! How many times did I hear her crying and worrying about you sneaking out to see Seth? Do you have any idea how upset she was – knowing you were with him, and not knowing where you were, or when you were coming home? Or if you were coming home knocked up?"

"But that's just it!" Sarah came back. "Haddie isn't me! What I did or didn't do with Seth has nothing to do with her! And for the record – if it wasn't for Seth, I wouldn't have had Amber or Drew. And I love those two kids more than anything in this world!"

"Oh! So it's okay if Haddie comes home pregnant because you love your kids! What the hell kind of logic is that!"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"It sure sounds like it from where I'm standing."

"Julia," Sarah said, exasperated. "Say something. Maybe you get through to him."

"She's right, you know. Haddie and Alex aren't Sarah and Seth. I know Mom had a hard time dealing with Sarah and Seth, and their relationship. But you need to trust that Haddie isn't going to do anything she shouldn't."

When Adam opened his mouth to object, Julia put her hand up to keep him from interrupting.

"Yes, I know. She lied. She sneaked out to see him. And she betrayed your and Kristina's trust. But she's sixteen. She's a teenager. You have to expect she's going to test her boundaries; to see how far she can go."

"I understand that. But when she does go too far, don't you think I, as her parent, have the right to punish her as I see fit? What gives my mother the right to discount me and my decisions, and allow my daughter to just walk out of here and find sanctuary in her house? If that isn't undermining my authority, my parental rights, what is it?"

Sarah put her hand on Julia's arm.

"Let's go. He's not going to listen to us. His mind is made up. We're completely wrong and he's completely right."

Julia started to say something, but instead followed Sarah to the door.