Jessy and I have always been close. Ever since her mom and I got married, we’ve built a bond that feels almost like I’ve been in her life forever. She’s eight now, with bright blue eyes and a smile that could melt anyone’s heart. But tonight, something was wrong.
Usually, Jessy loves staying at her dad’s house. It’s not too far from ours, and she enjoys baking and doing little projects with him. But tonight felt different. It was late, just past 11 p.m., when my phone buzzed, breaking the silence. Jessy’s name flashed on the screen.
I answered right away. “Jessy? What’s wrong?”
Her voice was barely a whisper. “Please come and get me. You have to come now,” she said, sounding terrified. I could hear her sniffling like she had been crying for a while. “And don’t tell Mom.”
My heart dropped. I tried to stay calm. “Jessy, what happened? Are you okay?”
“I can’t… I just need you to come now,” she begged, her voice shaky. “Please.”
Before I could say anything else, the call went dead.
I stood frozen for a second, my hand gripping the phone. A thousand thoughts ran through my head. What had scared her so much? Was she hurt? Was her dad angry? Jessy had mentioned before that her dad used to have a temper, especially before he and her mom split up. He was supposed to have worked on it, but what if something happened?