*Charlotte*

Jessica’s words hung in the air between us like the moment before lightning struck. I could see her trembling, tears swimming in her eyes as she pulled her arms around herself like she was trying to protect herself from a rain of blows.

Her fear and despair were visceral.

And I knew that look- that fear as intimately as it was my own because I’d seen it over and over again. Felt it myself back when I was still indebted, betrayed, ...