A teenage girl runs excitedly down a hallway, calling out to someone out of view A teenage girl runs excitedly down a hallway, calling out to someone out of view I lugged the suitcase up to the guest room, smiling to myself. It’d be nice to have a young person around the house again. I unzipped the bag, expecting to find the usual stuff – you know, clothes, books, maybe that old teddy bear she loved so much. What I saw instead made me gasp.
Right on top were these tiny little crop tops that looked more like handkerchiefs than shirts. And the shorts? They were so short they might as well have been underwear. An elderly woman looks shocked as she examines clothing items in an open suitcase An elderly woman looks shocked as she examines clothing items in an open suitcase | I dug deeper, finding makeup, perfume, and even a pair of sky-high platform shoes. This couldn’t be right. Not my Lily. I sat on the bed, trying to process what I was seeing. After a few minutes, I knew I had to call Emily, my daughter. I dialed with shaky fingers. “Hey, Mom! How’s Lily settling in?” Emily answered cheerfully. “Emily, we need to talk,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I found some things in Lily’s suitcase. Crop tops, short shorts, makeup —” An elderly woman placing a mobile phone call An elderly woman placing a mobile phone call There was a pause on the other end. Then Emily sighed. “Oh, Mom. I know it seems shocking, but it’s not a big deal. All her friends dress like that.” I felt my jaw drop.
