“The prosecutor said that they’ll recommend one year in prison. I could get more, and I could get less, depending on the judge. And they’d agree not to prosecute Dad or you, Chlo, though from what your lawyer told my lawyer, you’re in the clear anyway. But in all likelihood it will be at least a year, which is, I mean, putting aside the fact that I’ll spend that year in prison, not the Four Seasons Maui, is a scary long period of time. One night in prison is scary. But that’s not the part that freaks me out the most—” She stops, her voice thick with emotion. “I only have a limited time with you girls before you’re off doing whatever you’ll be doing with your lives….”

She’s careful not to mention college, our personal land mine.

“It feels unfair, like I’m being punished too much, that I will have to lose an entire year with you. But maybe it’s not; maybe it’s what I deserve. God knows people go through a whole lot worse, but still. You’re my babies. I don’t want to leave you.”

“We’re not babies,” I say. “Dad’s here. I’ll be here to help Isla, at least until you get home.”

“I don’t need help. I’m sixteen,” Isla says.

“Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds still need their moms,” my mother says.

“Carrie can be my new mom,” Isla says, breaking into a big, sly grin. How come I didn’t realize until recently that Isla was hilarious? It’s weird how sometimes people can be so close and yet you can’t see them clearly at all.

“Don’t think I haven’t worried about your dad running off with Carrie as soon as I’m gone,” my mom says.

“Nah, Carrie’s not my type. Brittany Brady, on the other hand—” my dad jokes.

“You’re not dying. You’re going away for a little while,” I say. “You’re still our mom.”

“Is that the euphemism we’re going to use? ‘Going away for a little while’? Not bad,” my dad says.

“What’s going to happen to you, Chloe?” my mom asks, in that same voice I imitated for Isla earlier today when I said public school.

Isla grabs my hand under the table and squeezes it to keep from laughing. Of course, we realize this is serious, this isn’t my mom’s usual melodrama, which makes it all the funnier. If your life is going to take a turn for the surreal, you might as well enjoy it.

“I’m going to be fine, Mom. Look at me. I’m already fine,” I say. I realize that’s the truth, mostly. I’m heartbroken about my friendship with Shola, and I’m terrified for my future, but if I’m honest, I was terrified for my future before this all happened anyway.