NovelEnglish
“So that's what happened.” Caitlin nodded in response before adding, “I didn't notice anything strange about Joyce
recently, though.”
“Are you sure? She sounded somewhat troubled when I last contacted her. Please try to recall as many details as
you can, Mrs. Rivers. I'm really worried about Joyce,” pleaded Natalie earnestly.
Caitlin then responded to the woman with another nod before trying to remember if her daughter behaved oddly in
the past two days. “I remember now!” exclaimed Caitlin suddenly with her eyes wide open.
Natalie immediately straightened her back when she heard the woman. “What is it, Mrs. Rivers?”
“It's nothing alarming, but I have noticed how Joyce tends to stare into space when she sits on the couch in the
living room. She does that too when she's in her room. And when she's not doing that, she'd buy a bunch of
supplements and clothes for me and her father. I mean, she used to do that too whenever she came home, but I've
never seen her buy this much stuff in a single visit before,” explained Caitlin.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtNatalie furrowed her eyebrows tightly. “That does sound like something's wrong. Has something happened to you
guys, Mrs. Rivers? Maybe that's why Joyce is acting that way.”
“No, nothing happened at all,” replied Caitlin while shaking her head.
“That's strange,” murmured Natalie.
After glancing at the door to Joyce's room, Caitlin suggested, “How about I ask Joyce myself and see if there's
anything bothering her. I'll call you if there really is something wrong. How does that sound?”
Natalie thought that was a good idea. Joyce didn't want to talk to me because she thought I couldn't do anything to
help her. But if Mrs. River were to speak with her, maybe she'll open up.
“Okay, Mrs. Rivers. Just promise me that you'll get to the bottom of it because I truly am worried about Joyce,”
reminded Natalie.
With one final nod, Caitlin promised, “Don't worry. I will. If there's nothing else, I'm going to hang up now.”
“Goodbye, Mrs. Rivers.”
After putting down the phone, Caitlin headed to her daughter's room and knocked on the door. “Joyce, are you still
awake?”
“Yep,” answered Joyce from the other side of the door.
“Then, can I come in?”
“Just give me a second.” Joyce then hurriedly pulled two pieces of tissue to wipe her tears before letting her mother
in.
“What are you doing, Joyce?” inquired Caitlin after stepping into the room.
“Nothing. Just killing some time on my phone.” Joyce shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and smiled at her
mother.
However, as Joyce's mother, Caitlin could immediately tell that the young woman was lying to her. Joyce's bloodshot
eyes and damp eyelashes convinced Caitlin that her daughter was crying before she walked in.
“Please be honest with me, Joyce. Did something happen?” Caitlin walked over and sat down on her daughter's bed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJoyce shook her head. “No, nothing happened. Why would you ask me something like that?”
“You're asking me why?” Caitlin hardened her face as she continued, “You might think I haven't noticed, but I've
seen how you stared blankly into space in the past two days. You'd either hide in your room or go shopping for a
bunch of stuff for me and your father. Is that supposed to be normal? I don't think it is. Nat called me just now and
asked if anything happened to you. She told me that you have even handed over all your work. What's going on,
Joyce?”
The young woman simply lowered her head and squeezed her hands in silence.
Seeing how Joyce shut herself in worried Caitlin even more. She then anxiously grabbed her daughter by the
shoulders and begged, “You have to tell me what's going on, Joyce. I'm worried sick!”
After slowly lifting her head, Joyce gazed at her mother with her bloodshot eyes. “I...”
“What is it? Tell me!” urged Caitlin.
Joyce opened her mouth but could not seem to get the words out.
At that point, Caitlin got so anxious that her eyes began to turn red as well. “What is it that you can't tell me, Joyce?
Do you know how worried I am to see you like this?”
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