Free The Perfect Mother by Nina Darnton

it.
    “Emma certainly would not have known that, or she wouldn’t be with him,” she said, almost to herself, sitting down heavily. She turned to José, who had sat down beside her. “She is against drug use of any kind,” she continued. She spoke fiercely, running her sentences together, gaining speed as she talked. “She was the president of a club she founded in high school. They called themselves the Perfect Squares. They only ate organic foods and avoided all drugs, even medicine. I had to fight with her to take an aspirin if she had a headache. That’s why this is so ridiculous, you see, she couldn’t have—”
    “I believe you, senora,” José interrupted with a sigh. “But be that as it may, her boyfriend was a drug dealer, and she and everyone else knew it.” He tentatively put his hand on her shoulder and said, “Children grow up. Sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way we thought.”
    She shook off his hand and stood up. “You don’t understand. I know my daughter,” she snapped. “I need to see her. Where is she?”
    She stormed over to the front desk to ask if she could visit Emma. Just as she got there, Roberto walked in. In that moment, before she could stop herself, not knowing why and certainly not intending to, she ran to him and burst into tears.
    “No, senora,” he said firmly. “This is not the way.” He turned to José, who had followed her and was standing by helplessly. The men exchanged exasperated looks.
    Jennifer, embarrassed, pulled herself together. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually behave this way.”
    “It’s all right, senora,” Roberto said in a loud voice. “Everyone understands a mother’s tears.” He lowered his voice so only she could hear him. “But you must control them for the time being. Can you do that?”
    She looked down and nodded.
    He turned to José. “What has happened?”
    “The girl is being interviewed. Mrs. Lewis wants to see her.”
    “Of course. Is that a problem?”
    “No.”
    “Good.” He led Jennifer back to the waiting room, then withdrew for a few private words with José before both men returned to Jennifer’s side.
    “She is in an interrogation room. An officer will bring you to her,” Roberto said. “You must convince her to cooperate.”
    “She is cooperating,” Jennifer protested. “Just because she isn’t telling them what they want to hear doesn’t mean she isn’t telling the truth.”
    “I understand that,” José said. He turned to Roberto. “But she refuses to talk about her boyfriend. If we are to help her, he must be found.”
    “And if she doesn’t know where he is?” Jennifer also addressed Roberto.
    “She refuses to acknowledge that she saw him the night of the murder,” Raul added. “The police have spoken to several students who saw them together in a bar earlier that night.”
    Jennifer had a hazy memory of Julia saying something like that.
    “I’ll talk to her. Please, let me see her.”
    When Jennifer entered the interrogation room, Emma was sitting at the table, her head resting on her arms. She looked up and her face brightened. “Mom,” she breathed with relief. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
    In spite of the gravity of the situation, Jennifer felt relief at those words. She sat down next to her daughter and tentatively stroked her arm. “Of course I’m here, darling. I’ll always be here.”
    Now it was Emma’s turn to break down. “I’m so sorry, Mama, for the way I’ve been acting. I’ve just been so scared and worried, and I thought you and Daddy must be so angry at me, so disappointed in me, I didn’t know what to do.” She was crying so hard, it was difficult to catch all her words.
    “It’s okay. It’s okay, I understand,” Jennifer said, pulling her close and hugging her.
    “No, it isn’t okay. It will never be okay again.”
    “Whatever happened, we’ll face it together. All of us. But you have to tell me everything so I can help you.”
    Emma pulled away.