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She was on her way to a uidance counselor She did not expect it to go well

Madelaine sighed, feeling the first telltale pulsings of a raine headache Yes, the Tom Grants of the world were the reason she did what she did, why she’d spent years in college, years without sleep or a social life, working herself like a deist But there had been a price As she got older, it was the truth she’d come to understand There was always a price

She was losing her daughter, watching Lina drift further and further away Madelaine tried to be the perfect mother, just as she tried to be the perfect physician But being a doctor was a snap cole parent No one fro by a thread

Madelaine wanted so badly to do the right thing, be the right thing, but what did she know ofShe’d known she had to take care of her daughter, give Lina a good, stable life Medical school had been a pie-in-the-sky goal at first Madelaine had never believed she’d actuallythe trust fund that was her acy She’d worked her ass off to beco class, and she’d finished early

But so At first it was little things—a ht, a field trip she couldn’t make Madelaine had been so consuhter stopped inviting her places, stopped counting on her to be so

Now she was paying the price

She pulled into the school parking lot, got out of the car, and strode through the school to the counselor’s office At the closed door, she knocked sharply

A muffled “come in” answered her

Exhaling steadily, Madelaine collected herself, then went inside

The counselor, a pert brunette named Vicki Owen, smiled broadly and extended her hand “Hello, Dr Hillyard Come in Sit down”

Madelaine shook the woman’s hand “Call me Madeline, please”

Vicki took a seat behind her desk and pulled out a stack of papers “I asked for thissoetting to turn in ho off Frankly, her teachers are at a loss She used to be such a wonderful student”

Madelaine felt every word like a blow She kneas true, knew her daughter was in trouble, but she didn’t knohat to do about it

Vicki’s face softened in understanding “Don’t worry, Madelaine, it’s not just you Every hter feels the same way”

Madelaine wanted to believe the counselor’s words, but she couldn’t allow herself such an easy way out “Thank you,” she mumbled