We instinctively knew that a “boy” had to be involved. Nora was pretty and smart for her age. But we were her parents, and our natural urge was always to protect her from hurt or worse. In fact, we weren’t entirely inexperienced in the department of romance when it came to her either.
Two years earlier, Nora had dated a boy. She had been 17, and at 19, he was brash and impulsive, caring more about rebellion than respect. The relationship, thankfully, burned its course, but not without leaving her a little scarred and shaken. We thought she had learned her lesson and was glad to put the episode behind us.