“I’m going to say something you’re going to find hard to believe.” When Dru said that, I faced her. “Those First Ladies, I know I’ve called them all kinds of names, and everything I’ve said about them is true. But the part you told me about what they said, the part about all that you’ve invested. That’s a good question. Are you ready to let it all go for an affair?” There was no judgment in her tone, just sincerity, just concern.

This was an easy question for me to answer. “This isn’t an affair. This is a baby. And this is ridiculous.” My words gave me strength. “I have to go inside now. I have to talk to Jeremy.”

“Are you going to talk to him here? With the kids?”

I half-shrugged. “It’s almost eight.” I couldn’t believe how much time had gone by. Dru and I had just sat in my office after I read the results. We’d just sat there crying and talking, talking and crying, until all of those hours had passed by. “Jasmine’s in bed,” I said, finishing my thought, “and Jayden is in his room with the TV blasting because he hopes to be deaf by the time he turns fourteen.”

She snickered, but then stopped. It was too difficult to laugh through sorrow. “Do you want me to go in with you?”

“No.” Now, I was the one who turned to her and tried to smile. “Don’t worry; he’ll be safe. I really don’t want to go to jail.”

Any other time, Dru would’ve laughed. But now, more tears filled her eyes. I leaned in and hugged her.

She whispered, “I love you. And no matter what, I have your back. I got you.”

“I know and thank you. Stay in the car until Uber comes. Even this late, it’s too hot to be outside.”

She nodded, and then pulled me into another embrace, hugging me as if she never wanted to let me go. But then, I broke away, slid out of my car, and walked what felt like the green mile to my front door. I inserted the key and pushed the door open, all in the same motion because I was afraid that if I hesitated for even a second, I would cut and run and no one would ever see me again. I might have done exactly that if Jasmine and Jayden weren’t behind these doors. I was coming home for them.

I’d barely stepped over the threshold before I had to face my tragedy.

Jeremy took a stutter-step toward me, raising his arms as if he were going to embrace me. Then, he read the lines on my face and the tears in my eyes and he stepped back, out of striking distance. “Where were you?”