The afternoon sun beat down on the small town of Riverdale as 17-year-old Tanya Williams drove her mom’s old blue sedan down Maple Street. The car hummed steadily beneath her, a comfortable sound she had grown used to during her practice drives. Today was different, though. Today she was alone with only her learner’s permit in her wallet.

But what choice did she have? Her mom needed medicine and groceries, and there was nobody else to get them. “Just a quick trip,” Tanya told herself, carefully checking her mirrors as she stopped at a red light. “10 minutes to the store and back. Nobody will even notice.”

Her mom, Denise, had been home from the hospital for just 3 days after her back surgery. The recovery was harder than either of them had expected. With Tanya’s dad away on military duty, the responsibility fell squarely on Tanya’s young shoulders. School, housework, cooking, and now this emergency trip for pain medication that couldn’t wait.

The light turned green and Tanya pressed gently on the gas pedal just like her dad had taught her. “Smooth and steady,” she could hear his deep voice saying. She smiled at the memory. That smile vanished when she noticed the flashing lights in her rearview mirror. “No, no, no,” she whispered, her heart suddenly pounding against her ribs. She checked her speed. She wasn’t going too fast.

She’d signaled at every turn. What could be wrong? With shaking hands, Tanya turned the signal on and pulled carefully to the side of the road. She remembered everything her parents had taught her. Hands on the wheel. Stay calm. Be respectful. But her mouth went dry as she watched the police officer step out of his patrol car in her side mirror.

Officer Dennison adjusted his belt as he approached the vehicle. It had been a long shift, and this would be his last stop before heading back to the station. From a distance, he saw what looked like a young driver, possibly too young. As he got closer, he noticed the military family sticker on the back windshield, a common sight in this town near the base.

Tanya rolled down her window and tried to keep her voice steady. “Good afternoon, officer.” Officer Dennison bent down, his face appearing in the window frame. He was middle-aged with a weathered face and tired eyes that narrowed when he saw how young she looked. “License and registration,” he said flatly, skipping any greeting.

Tanya’s fingers trembled as she reached for her wallet. “My license? It’s just a learner’s permit,” she admitted, handing it over. She reached across to the glove compartment for the registration, accidentally hitting the hazard light button in her nervousness. The car started blinking. “Sorry,” she mumbled, turning off the hazards and finding the registration papers.

Officer Dennison studied her permit with a frown. “You know you can’t drive alone with this, right? Where’s your licensed adult?” Tanya swallowed hard. “My mom just had surgery. She can’t drive. She needed her medicine, and there was nobody else to go.” The officer sighed and shone his flashlight around the car interior, then walked around to the back. “Your tail light is out, too,” he called.

When he returned to her window, his expression had hardened. “Step out of the car, please.” Tanya felt a cold wave of fear wash over her. “Am I in trouble?” “You’re driving illegally without proper supervision with a vehicle defect. So, yes, you’re in trouble.” There was no sympathy in his voice. As she carefully stepped out of the car, Tanya tried again. “My dad can vouch for me. He’ll understand why I had to drive.”

“He’s in special forces. He just got back from deployment last week.” That’s when it happened. Officer Dennison’s serious expression cracked and he let out a short laugh. It wasn’t friendly laughter. It was dismissive, disbelieving. “Sure, he is sweetie,” he replied with a condescending smile.