Mindy stirred in her sleep, her dreams interrupted by distant voices echoing through the silent house. She blinked groggily, trying to make sense of the muffled sounds that gradually grew louder.
Heart pounding, Mindy sat up in bed, straining to listen. The clock on her bedside table glowed 3:14 AM in the dim light. She recognized her parents' voices—Jacob's slurred and frustrated, Grace's tinged with concern and exasperation.
At that moment, Mindy caught a glimmer of relief.
"He's home," she whispered to herself, her voice filled with a mix of anxiety and hope. "Dad's back."
Mindy immediately swung her legs out of bed, the floor cool against her feet. Ignoring the chill, she hurriedly made her way to her bedroom door and ran out.
As she reached he parent's bedroom door, Mindy hesitated for a brief moment, her hand poised to knock, when her mother's voice cut through the silence.
