I sat in my car, heart racing, mind spinning like a carousel out of control. What had just happened? The backyard that moments ago had been filled with laughter and the smell of grilled food had transformed into a scene from a crime drama. I strained to make sense of it all, feeling like an extra in a show I didn’t understand.
The police officers moved efficiently, some speaking into radios, others gesturing to each other with pointed, deliberate movements. From where I sat, it was impossible to discern their exact purpose. My mind flicked through possibilities like a deck of cards, each scenario more bewildering than the last.
Robert’s face was a mixture of confusion and anger as he attempted to get answers, but the officers held him back. Amanda stood nearby, her earlier composure replaced with growing anxiety. The kids, now gathered on the porch, looked on with wide eyes, clinging to each other and asking questions Amanda couldn’t answer.
