Wren shuffled her way into the kitchen, sliding onto the stool beside Lily. “Oh, hey, Sarah. How was your trip?” she asked uncomfortably.
Sarah took in the two girls sitting before her. Lily, still with a slightly panicked expression on her face, and Wren, with that airof quiet confidence she had been growing into over the last few months. “It was good until I got home to find two unexpected houseguests.” She raised an eyebrow as she flipped the first omelette onto a plate, handing it to Wren.
Wren grinned sheepishly, glancing at Lily.
“And then wouldn’t you know that my surprise only continued when I discovered the two of you had been drinking. Wren, can you please grab the liquor bottle and glasses from the coffee table in the other room?” Sarah asked evenly.
Wren shot a sideways glance at Lily before getting to her feet, collecting the bottle and glasses and returning, setting them on the counter.
“So, who wants to start?” Sarah added more eggs to the pan, beginning to make the second omelette, thoroughly enjoying this moment. She could practically feel the silent conversation happening behind her back as she cooked.
“It’s not that big of a deal, Mom. We’re, you know, of the age where experimenting with drinking is totally normal. I’m literally in college.”
“Technically, you didn’t go back to college,” Wren added under her breath.
“Not helpful, Wren.” A quiet thud and a mumbled protest let Sarah know that Wren had received a kick to the shins.
Sarah plated the second omelette, turning and handing it to Lily. “While that may be true, I think a refresher on responsible decision-making is needed.” The clink of cutlery sounded behind her as the girls dug in and Sarah began to make her own omelette.
“Mom, c’mon, you’re being so embarrassing. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. We didn’t even drink enough to be hungover,” Lily protested. “Right, Wren?”
“Right. It was honestly just a little bit. We were curious,” Wren said earnestly in between bites.
Sarah turned off the burner, sliding her own meal onto her plate before setting the pan aside to cool. “Curiosity is totally normal and expected,” she said, setting her plate down on the counter across from the girls. “I was your age once, too, and trust me, I got up to much worse. But I didn’t have the additional factor to consider that the two of you do, which is the fact that both of you are public figures.”
She took a bite of her breakfast, chewing thoughtfully, thinking back to the secrecy that existed around her early exploration with alcohol as a teen. That secrecy had led to questionable decision-making, and she wanted to help the girls avoid repeating her mistakes. “There is nothing wrong with being curious,” she continued. “Really, exploring this stuff is totally normal, but I do want to make sure that the two of you understand how to explore in ways that don’t put you at risk.”
Lily hunched over her plate, mumbling, “We weren’t at risk.”
“I’m not saying you were,” Sarah replied gently. “Last night, you two made a choice that could have been a lot worse. You stayed home, and you stayed together, and no one was driving. Those are good decisions. I’m proud of you for that.”
Wren looked up, surprised. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Sarah said, smiling encouragingly at the girls. “But here’s the tricky thing about alcohol: It doesn’t make you smarter, and it doesn’t make decision-making easier. It does the opposite, and because both of you live part of your lives public-facing, bad decisions can go from whoops to a career-altering headline very quickly, and we don’t want that.”
“Yeah, we know. Why do you think we decided to drink here instead of out at some party?” Lily groaned, dragging her hands down her face.
Sarah looked between the girls. “I’m glad to hear that thought did cross your mind in your decision-making process. And I know you know, but good decision-making is like amuscle that needs training. And it gets harder when you’re tired, stressed, or buzzed. Those skills take practice, girls.”
Wren nodded along as Sarah spoke. “Okay, so what are the rules, exactly?”
Sarah placed her palms on the cool granite countertop, leaning forward slightly, leveling with the girls as she held up four fingers. “Four rules. One: You’re welcome here anytime. I just ask that you let me know when you’ll be here. Two: If you decide to drink, do it in a safe place, with safe people, and stop while it’s still fun. Not when you’re sick or making bad decisions. Three: Call me. Whenever. For anything.” Her gaze lingered momentarily on Wren, who was listening to her with wide green eyes. “And four: Talk to me. About anything. I want you both to feel like we can talk about this stuff. I’m never expecting perfection from either of you, but I do expect honesty.”
“Okay, fine,” Lily conceded. “I guess that’s fair.”
“Yeah, we can definitely do that.” Wren glanced at her, a meek smile on her lips as she continued apologetically. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you about last night. We, you know, didn’t think you were going to be home.”
“Like I said, girls. I was your age once. I get it.”
“We didn’t even get tipsy or anything,” Lily said. “We tried your bourbon—it’s disgusting by the way—and just ended up watching old Mother Goth videos. I don’t know how you drink that stuff, Mom.” Lily got up from her stool, moving around the kitchen and grabbing a glass of water.
Sarah laughed, remembering a similar sentiment towards the amber liquid the first time she tried it. “It’s an acquired taste. One day you’ll appreciate it. Or maybe you won’t. That’s for you to discover along the way.” Lily held out a hand, taking Sarah’s empty plate from her and loading it into the dishwasher, unprompted and unexpected. Maybe the endless chore reminders were finally starting to pay off. “Thanks,sweetie. Would you mind washing the pan too?” she asked before turning her attention to Wren. “Wren, can I speak to you in my office? Privately?”
Wren’s eyes widened and a pink color rose high on her cheeks. “Uh?—”
“No, Mom, seriously?” Lily whined, one hand on her hip.
Sarah held up a hand and both girls fell silent as Wren nodded, following her away from the kitchen and down the hall to her study, closing the door gently behind them.
