36: Suspicion Rises

My parents don’t normally call me without scheduling out time to talk first. We have a good relationship, but we don’t speak that often considering how busy my schedule is. Could it be an emergency? I wonder. I quickly answer the call and press the phone to my ear. "Hey, Mom," I say cheerfully, trying to keep my voice steady despite the knot of anxiety in my stomach. "What's going on?" “Hey, Carrie, it’s good to hear your voice,” my mom’s voice crackles through the speaker. Despite the cute nickname she uses for me, her words are laden with concern. My worry only grows. “You sound nervous. Did something happen?” I ask. I hear my father’s voice from the other side of the line, this time. “Well… Are you busy right now? We don’t want to stress you out,” he says. I huff. They’re always worrying about me, even when I’m the one who should be worrying about them. “I’m not busy. Please tell me, you’re making me antsy,” I insist. My parents hesitate for a moment before diving in. “Well… T