Chapter 2

I had known Tessa for almost twenty years.

When a teacher struck my palm with a ruler in middle school, Tessa held my hand under the desk until the sting faded. When I got into graduate school, she arrived at my apartment before my acceptance email had finished loading on my phone. When my mother died during our senior year of college, Tessa slept on my floor for three weeks and handled every phone call I couldn’t bear to answer.

When my mother died during our senior year of college, Tessa slept on my floor for three weeks and handled every phone call I couldn’t bear to answer.

I didn’t have siblings. After my mother, Tessa was the closest thing I had to family.

That was why her approval of Evan had mattered so much.

The forum replies called her every ugly word available. Under nearly all of them, she defended him.

“He’s good to her. He isn’t a bad man.”

“I was jealous. I lost my mind for one night.”

“I won’t do it again. For my best friend’s sake, I’ll stay away from him.”

Then another update appeared.

“He left without looking at me.”

“I keep seeing her face.”

“I never meant for this to happen.”

I curled on my side on the bathroom floor and cried without making a sound.

At some point, dawn thinned the darkness at the window.

Evan still hadn’t come home.

At eight, he texted.

Big night at the office. Sorry. I’ll meet you at the car.

At eight twelve, Tessa texted.

Wedding-dress day! I’m going to cry harder than you.

I stared at both messages until the words blurred.

Then I showered, covered the shadows under my eyes, and got dressed.

I wasn’t ready to confront them. I didn’t know whether that made me cowardly or careful. All I knew was that if I opened my mouth too soon, I would scream, and if I screamed, they would begin explaining.

I didn’t want explanations yet.

I wanted to see what they did when they believed I was still blind.