“It’s time for you to open your eyes, Ann. You don’t believe me? He even had a bank account set up. He said he’d keep fifty grand for himself, and then he’d deposit the rest of my money and the bank would automatically send you a check every month. If you don’t believe me I can show you the paperwork he faxed over. Think about it: I can’t set up a bank account for someone else. He needed to do this. It was his plan.”

Ann stared at the dizzying jelly-roll pattern of the quilt on her bed that her mother had made for her as a present when she turned sixteen. They’d driven all over town looking for fabric. Michael set up an account?

“He had me in a vise, Ann. Kid like that, he’s seen people in situations like mine. Part of me admires him, actually. But look: it’s just money. I paid him, and I put money in his little account. You’ll get a thousand bucks every month. That ought to help you get by. He’s gone for good, off to who-knows-where. You won’t see him again. Good riddance.”

It was one thing to imagine never seeing Anthony again, but Michael? He’d been such a constant in her life the past few years. Even though they hadn’t been as close lately, she relied on him, cared for him, loved him in ways she could acknowledge, and ways she had to deny, even to herself. She couldn’t digest what Anthony told her—all she could think about was that Michael was gone, and he’d betrayed her. Anthony kept talking, his words floating like the greasy scum on top of dirty water. Most of what he said was just posturing, but she snapped to attention when he said, “Let’s face it, Ann. This situation is difficult enough. Neither of us want to get dragged into a custody battle.”

“Custody”: that was a word she hadn’t even thought of yet. It made her stomach turn to think of this baby growing inside of her being ripped away, raised by someone like Anthony. “What did you say?”

“If the kid is mine, like you say, you bet I want to raise it. That is, if I didn’t have to keep everything a secret. Practically speaking, I do.”

“All I need to do is take a paternity test.”

“Right. And you know what’ll happen if I’m really the father? I’ll drag you and your family through the mud, take the kid, do whatever I need to do. Listen good, Ann: if you come after me, if you take that test, I’ll be a permanent part of your life, you can bet on that. There won’t be a day you won’t communicate with me.”