Lugging a full laundry basket. Jessica Marks stopped in the open doorway of her daughter's room. Five-year old Tess was engrossed in a familiar family dispute with her imaginary friend Kristal.
"You didn't pick up your room like I asked. There won't be any dessert tonight if you don't mind me."
Jessica smiled. She'd done her research and felt assured that Tess's imaginary friend was nothing to be concerned about and could even be helping in her daughter's language development.
"You'll make a good mommy someday," said Jessica.
Tess rolled her eyes. "She never listens to me."
"Believe me, I know the feeling," replied Jessica, heading off to her destination in the laundry room.
That evening as she and her husband, Will sat in bed reading, Jessica put down her Kindle.
"Did you have an imaginary friend when you were Tess's age?"
Will took off his glasses. "As a matter of fact, I did. His name was Stevie."
"Stevie," repeated Jessica with a broad grin. "Interesting. I didn't, at least that I can remember. It's just kind of funny and a little weird to see Tess interacting so intensely with someone who isn't there."
"She'll get through it. We all do."
The next afternoon, Jessica was making the bed when she heard what sounded like sobbing down the hall. It was coming from Tess's room, and she found her girl sitting on the bed, red-faced, tears dropping from her chin.
"What's wrong, baby?" asked Jessica.
"Kristal said that her mommy and daddy don't want her to have an imaginary friend, so she can't play anymore."
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. It'll be all right."
"No it won't."
Jessica's phone rang. It was Will, so she stepped out into the hallway. "Well, we're having a bit of a melt down over Kristal. Yeah?. Can I call you back later?"
Tapping her phone, Jessica was suddenly struck by the dead silence in the house. Something didn't feel right. She turned and walked back into Tess's room, only to find it empty. Panic clutched her heart like an icy hand. Lying in a pile on the floor next to the bed were the clothes her daughter had been wearing only seconds ago.