CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE – CAUGHT!

The music screeched to a halt, and the crowd parted like the Red Sea. There, at the edge of the party, stood their parents. Their father's face was beet red with anger, while their mother looked close to tears. "What in God's name is going on here?" their father bellowed, striding towards them. Nancy, finally snapped out of her daze by their father's voice, stumbled away from her dance partner. "Daddy?" she whimpered, suddenly looking very young and very scared. Their mother rushed forward, grabbing Nancy by the arm. "Nancy, sweetie, are you alright? What did they give you?" Nancy's lower lip trembled, and then she burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Mommy! I didn't mean to... I just wanted to fit in!" Rebecca felt a surge of protective instinct. This was all her fault. She should never have brought Nancy to this party. "It's not her fault!" Rebecca blurted out. "I... I pressured her into coming. She didn't want to drink or anything, but I..." "Save it, young lady," her father growled