blood drained from Beth’s face, and she lunged off the bed, hurling herself at Tracy. But Tracy, seeing her coming, spun around, yanked the door open, and dashed down the hall. Beth caught up to her just as she was opening the door to her room. Grabbing Tracy’s hair, she tried to pull her back out into the hall.
“Let go of me!” Tracy screamed. Her arms flailing, she tumbled into her room, with Beth on top of her. “Daddy! Daddy, help me! She’s trying to kill me!”
She was lying on her stomach, Beth astride her, pummeling at her shoulders. With a violent wrench, Tracy twisted herself over onto her back, and, still screaming, began clawing at Beth’s face.
And then, just as she was sure she was going to be able to throw Beth off her and give her the thrashing she deserved, her father suddenly appeared, his hands sliding under Beth’s shoulders, lifting her up.
“Get her away from me,” Tracy wailed, her hands immediately falling away from Beth to cover her face. “Get her off me, Daddy! She’s hurting me!”
With a quick tug Phillip pulled Beth to her feet, then let her go. Sobbing, she ran to her mother, who was now standing just inside the door, and threw her arms around her. Carolyn knelt down, pulling her daughter close.
“Beth! Honey, what happened?”
But before she could reply, Tracy’s voice filled the room. “She’s crazy!” Tracy yelled. “I was just lying on my bed, and all of a sudden she came in and jumped on me! I didn’t do anything, Daddy!”
Carolyn, bewildered, looked from Tracy to Beth. “Beth? Is that true?”
Beth, tears streaming from her eyes, shook her head. “She came into my room,” she replied. “She came in and started telling me I was crazy, and that everyone hates me. And … and—” She broke off, choking back her sobs.
“That’s not true,” Tracy said hotly. “I didn’t go anywhere near her room!”
“That’s enough!” Phillip declared. “It doesn’t matter who started it. You’re both quite grown up enough not to be fighting like this. Now I want you both to apologize to each other.”
“I won’t!” Tracy shouted. “I didn’t do anything, and I don’t have to apologize to anyone! Why don’t you make Beth apologize? She started it!”
Phillip took a deep breath, and silently counted to ten. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it that cut through his daughter’s fury. “I don’t care who started it, Tracy. All I’m interested in is ending it. Now, apologize to Beth.”
Tracy’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry,” she whispered in a voice that was barely audible.
Phillip turned to the other girl. “Beth?”
Beth hesitated, then sniffled. “I’m sorry,” she said at last. “I shouldn’t have jumped on you.”
“See?” Tracy crowed. “She admitted it!”
“She apologized, Tracy,” her father replied. “That’s all. Now get into bed, and I’ll be back in a little while to say good night.”
Tracy glanced at the clock, then decided not to press her luck by protesting that it wasn’t even ten yet. Instead, she looked up at her father appealingly. “Is it all right if I watch television?”
“For an hour,” Phillip agreed. “Say good night to Carolyn and Beth.”
Tracy hesitated, then spoke the words while she looked at the floor.
“Good night, Tracy,” Carolyn said quietly, then led Beth out of the room and back to her own. Neither mother nor daughter said anything while Beth undressed, put on her pajamas, then slipped under the covers. Finally Carolyn leaned over, and kissed her daughter’s forehead.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she said.
Beth looked up at her mother. “Do you believe me, Mommy?” she said so quietly that Carolyn could barely hear the words.
“Of course I do,” Carolyn assured her. “Why would I ever think that you’d pick a fight with Tracy?” She forced herself to grin. “After all, she’s bigger than you.”
“But why does she hate me?” Beth asked.
“I don’t know,” Carolyn replied, the smile fading from her lips. “And I don’t know what we can do about it, either. But we’ll think of something. I promise.” She kissed Beth once more, then went to the door. Then, as she let herself out, she heard Beth speak once more, almost as if she were talking to herself.
“Sometimes I wish Amy would just kill her.”
Chilled, Carolyn said nothing, but pulled Beth’s door closed behind her.
Phillip glanced up as Carolyn came into their bedroom. “You look white as a sheet,” he said. Taking her hand, he led her to the bed, but she