And then the phone rang. The sound jolted her. She froze, pulse thudding in her ears. For a moment she didn’t move, then she saw the name flash across the screen: Lisa. Her throat tightened. She answered. “Lisa?” Her voice came out smaller than she intended. “Where are you? What’s going on? I’ve been—”
“Mom,” Lisa interrupted, her tone flat, almost casual. “Relax, okay? We’re fine. We just got back from a vacation. The kids are exhausted, and David and I are completely drained. We need a few days to rest and catch up on work. Can you take the kids for a bit?” Helen blinked, stunned. “A vacation?” she repeated.