When I got back from the market, the house was quiet. Too quiet. I set the bags down in the kitchen and called out, "Aliana?" My voice sounded too loud in the stillness, and only the walls answered me back. Daniel appeared from the living room, giving me a small, reassuring smile. "She's upstairs," he said. "Just finishing up before dinner."
I nodded, though my stomach twisted. Daniel had always been careful, and I trusted him, but I couldn't help the little knot of worry that grew tighter every time I thought about Aliana sneaking out. I told myself she was just upstairs, maybe doing homework or reading, and I took a deep breath.
I unpacked the groceries, putting the vegetables and spices away, and tried to focus on dinner. I wanted everything to be ready on time, to keep things normal. I didn't want to show Daniel how tense I was, but my hands trembled a little as I chopped onions. The knife felt heavier than usual, and I kept glancing at the staircase, half expecting Aliana to come bounding down.
Daniel moved quietly behind me, washing some dishes from earlier, giving the kitchen a sense of normalcy I didn't feel. He kept stealing glances at the staircase too, and I noticed it, but I didn't say anything. I needed to believe him.
As I started preparing the meat, I called up softly, "Aliana, dinner will be ready soon." I waited a moment, but no footsteps answered me. I told myself she must be finishing up. Daniel reassured me again, his voice calm, "She'll be down in a bit. Don't worry."
I tried to focus on cutting the vegetables, stirring the sauce, and getting everything ready, but my mind kept wandering. I shook my head, scolding myself. I couldn't imagine Aliana sneaking out when Daniel was here.
Dinner was ready and i was setting the table. I still hadn't seen her. I called her again, louder this time. My voice bounced back at me in the empty rooms. Daniel glanced at me, biting his lip. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he avoided my eyes. He didn't say anything. He didn't touch his food either. His hands hovered over the plate, and he kept looking at the staircase as if expecting someone to appear any second.
Something wasn't right.
"Where is she, Daniel?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He swallowed and said, "She's upstairs. I promised her she could finish getting ready before dinner. She'll come down soon."
I stared at him, my chest tightening. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes were just a little too alert. The thought hit me suddenly. He knew more than he was saying. He had let her sneak out. My stomach lurched, and anger and fear bubbled together. "You let her go?" I yelled, my voice higher than I meant.
He hesitated, then nodded slightly. "I thought it would be better than her sneaking out without anyone knowing. She's just at a friend's party nearby. I didn't think it would be a big deal."
My hands shook, and I gripped the edge of the table so hard it hurt. "You didn't even ask where she was going! You can't just let her leave like that!"
He tried to explain, but my fear drowned out his words. I grabbed my phone and dialed Aliana's number. It rang once, then twice, my chest tightened so much I thought I might pass out.
"Aliana? Where are you? Pick up!" I shouted into the phone. My voice cracked, and I felt a tear slip down my cheek.
After a moment, she answered, calm as ever. "Hey, Mom. I'm at a party. I'll be on my way back soon."
I stared at the phone, stunned. She sounded fine, like nothing had happened. "Soon? How soon? It's dark already!"
"Almost done here. Don't worry, I'll be back in a little bit," she said casually.
I hung up, my stomach twisting with a mix of relief and terror. Daniel tried to calm me. "See, she's fine. Just give her thirty minutes," he said. I nodded, but my chest wouldn't stop tightening.
I sat on the sofa, hands clutched together, staring at the clock. Twenty minutes ticked by. I tried calling her again. Straight to voicemail. My panic rose higher. Daniel's voice, though meant to soothe, sounded strained. "She's just hurrying home. She doesn't want to be scolded on the phone."
I shook my head. My mind raced with every terrible thing that could have happened. I imagined her getting lost, falling, or worse. I kept calling her number, each unanswered ring making my heart pound faster.
Daniel suggested waiting ten more minutes, trying to sound confident, but even he looked worried. Forty minutes passed. I called again, over and over. Each time, the phone went straight to voicemail. Then, finally, it said not reachable. My stomach sank so deep I felt like I might collapse.
Daniel crouched beside me, his own hands trembling. "She's probably moving around. The signal must be bad. She'll be back soon," he said, but even he didn't sound sure.
I couldn't calm down. My hands shook violently, and I gripped the edge of the sofa to keep from falling. The house felt suffocating, silent but for the ticking clock. Every creak and shadow made my heart jump. Daniel kept calling her too, each ring sounding like a scream in the quiet house.
The minutes dragged on. I imagined every possible danger. What if someone took her? What if she got hurt? What if she wasn't coming back at all? Daniel tried to make plans, to ask questions, but he admitted he hadn't even asked where she was going. The realization made me feel like screaming.
I tried to breathe, tried to calm down, but every second felt heavier. I imagined her walking fast, running, getting lost, maybe tripping. My mind refused to stop. I stood up, pacing the living room. Daniel followed me, muttering reassurances, but even he looked like he wanted to cry.
Then, a faint sound outside. My ears perked up. I rushed to the window, heart hammering. Could it be her? My hands shook so badly I had to grip the sill. I strained to see through the darkness. A shadow moved on the sidewalk. My breath caught. "Daniel, I think—"
Before I could finish, the door opened, and Aliana burst in, smiling, completely calm. "Hey, Mom! Hi, Daniel! I'm back!"
I froze, staring at her. Relief slammed into me, followed by anger. My legs gave way, and I sank to the sofa. "Aliana! Where were you? Do you have any idea what you put us through?" My voice wobbled, but it was strong enough to make her stop.
She looked confused. "I told you, Mom. Just at a party. It was fun, but I left early."
I shook my head, feeling a mix of relief, anger, and fear and turned to Daniel. "You can't just let her go! You don't even know where she was going!"
Aliana's eyes widened, realizing I was still upset. "Mom, I'm fine! Really. I got back safely."
Daniel stepped closer, voice calm but strained. "See, Stella? She's fine. I promise."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My hands were still shaking, and my heart was racing. "I need you both to understand. I can't lose her. I can't."
Aliana nodded quickly. "I understand, Mom. I'll be more careful."
I sank back on the sofa, still tense but slowly letting relief wash over me. Aliana sat beside me, and for a moment, we were quiet, just being together. The panic was still there, lingering in the edges of my mind, but at least she was home.
Finally, I let myself relax a little, but my eyes kept flicking to the clock, the shadows, the door. I would never stop worrying, but I knew now that panic didn't help. All I could do was hold her close, and try to breathe through the fear, one minute at a time.