Bill dropped me back home as the streetlights came on. We lived in the suburbs and lived by the street light rule just like kids in the inner city.

I discreetly stuffed a bag of makeup into my purse. Bill had given me the money to replace the stuff that Nubia had destroyed, and then I bought my own makeup so that I wouldn't have to mess with Mama's. I also got Nubia some neutral, kid-friendly makeup like flavored lip gloss and eyeliner and soft eye shadows. He also insisted ...