The clock chimed softly as eight o'clock passed. Cecily sat on the couch, her fingers idly twisting a strand of her silver-dyed hair. She glanced at the door again, noting the time with a calm that belied the tension building in the room. Across from her, Jeremy paced near the window, his eyes flicking to his phone every few seconds. His jaw was tight, his protective instincts simmering beneath the surface.

"She’s not late yet," Cecily said gently. "She’s out with her friends, like she told us."

"Friends," Jeremy muttered, his voice sharp. "Including him—the boy she’s been sneaking around with."

Cecily raised an eyebrow. "They’ve gone to a movie, Jeremy. We knew this would happen one day. She’s sixteen."

Jeremy turned, his eyes narrowing. "She’s too young to be dating, especially someone I don’t know enough about. He could be dangerous."

Cecily sighed softly. "Not everyone is hiding sinister intentions. She’s smart, Jeremy. We raised her to be."

Jeremy exhaled heavily, his shoulders tense. "I’ll wait up for her. And when she walks through that door, I’ll have a word with her—and him."

"You mean interrogate," Cecily said, amused. "Please don’t scare her off. If you push too hard, she’ll stop telling us anything."

Before Jeremy could reply, headlights flashed outside. Cecily touched his arm as he moved toward the door. "Remember—reasonable."

The door opened, and their daughter stepped inside, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of her father standing tall with his arms crossed. Cecily gave her a warm smile from behind him.