Nubia had the covers over her head, but I knew that she wasn't asleep. I expected her to say something like "I told you so," but she didn't say anything. I lay there quietly.

I could never tell my mother the truth now. I was all in. I closed my eyes. I put Bill and all of the careful plans that he had made to protect himself at risk. I was not happy that he hadn't backed me up on this, but he had at least given me a back-up story. But damn, my mama would never trust me again. ...