The sound of her ringtone caused Carmen to set the pancake box on the kitchen counter.

Then she picked up the phone, answered the call, and said, "Hey, mom."

"Are you okay?" Mrs. Smith worriedly asked from the other end of the line.

Confused by her mother's question, Carmen calmly uttered, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, Ummm… We were told that Ali was at the company yesterday?"

"Seriously, you guys are still keeping tabs on me!"

"No! Of course, not… Well, okay, yes we are. But not in the way that you think. Your dad and I were just checking in with Tracy this morning to find out how your...