“We’ll talk about it in a second, just let me get us out of here,” I answered, starting the car. Just as we were pulling away, Sanjay came running out of the house, turkey leg still in hand, motioning me to stop. Ludmila was hot on his tracks.

I flicked them the bird, which seemed appropriate considering Sanjay’s newfound love for the animal, and sped off.

Matthew and I were sitting at the kitchen table, sharing a forty-ounce Colt 45 that had been hidden behind mountains of Tupperware in my parents’ refrigerator.

“Sheila, I’m so so sorry this happened,” Matthew said for the hundredth time, rubbing my back, “discovering that your boyfriend has been cheating on you isn’t exactly what you needed right now.”

“And that he’s a secret meat eater,” I sniveled, “let’s not forget that.”

“Yes, and that he’s a secret meat eater,” Matthew repeated after me. “Why would he be hiding that, by the way?”

“Because his parents are devoutly religious and he is one of two lame sons who listen to everything their mother tells them. Which is why he was with me, I suppose. His mom had always wanted him to marry an Indian woman, and when we started dating it was like a dream come true. Indian and the daughter of her best friend.”

“Right. Right. I know this might not be the most appropriate question right now . . . but why did you like Sanjay in the first place?” Matthew grabbed the forty, taking a long sip.

“He used to be different. When we first started dating, he was unlike all the guys at Columbia. Sure of himself, but not arrogant. He’d come up to New York most weekends and we’d have a great time—eating out, taking walks, whatever. And I have to admit, being with him felt comfortable and safe. I didn’t have to explain myself, my family, where I came from.” I took a deep breath. “Then something changed, I guess about a year in. Maybe that’s when he met Ludmila . . . excuse me, I mean Gayle. In fact, that’s right around the time we stopped having sex.”

Matthew chugged from the bottle, his face turning bright red.

“I’m sorry, Matthew—you didn’t need to hear that, I guess.”