This gave Elise a moment of pause. “I am not going to tell Cathy that she can’t go. If you
are so bent on this then it will be your job.”
Joe grimaced. “Alright, I will tell her.” He then walked up the stairs to Cathy’s
room where she was getting ready. He knocked on the door.
“Cathy, there is a problem.”
Cathy opened her door. “What is wrong dad?”
“Is Teresa’s mom on some kind of medications?”
“Not that I know of, why do you ask?”
Joe then fed her his fabricated story.
“What are you getting at?”
“I don’t want you riding with them to Juniper Lake
“Please Dad, I really want to go. The water will be great for swimming and I am starting back
to school in a week and one half.
“I am really worried about Teresa’s mom’s driving. I could never live with myself if
you got hurt.”
“Teresa’s mom is a great driver!”. Cathy was shouting now.
“Please don’t make this so hard!”, Joe said with a raised voice and tightened lips.
Cathy’s face turned red. She screamed, “You are just doing this to be mean!”
“No dear, I do this out of love for you.”
“No you don’t! You are just a control freak!” She began sobbing and then she slammed
her door close.
When Teresa and her mom showed up, Joe met them at the door. “Teresa is feeling very sick all
of a sudden this morning. She can’t go with you to Juniper Lake.”
Teresa looked at Joe. “Can I go say hi to her? She seemed ok last night on the phone.”
Joe shook his head. “She is still asleep. I think she is running a fever. Why don’t you
give her a call tonight.”
Teresa looked at her mom and her other friends waiting in the car. “Oh, all right. Tell her
I said hi.” She and her mom then got back into the car and took off.