Chapter 2

I drove fast.

The streetlight outside our apartment building was out again. Someone had sprayed a fresh layer of graffiti over the old one.

When I opened the door, Sylvie was already home.

"Mom, you're back."

She'd just pulled a container of mac and cheese out of the microwave and set it on our chipped dining table.

"There's garlic bread, too. I put it in the oven. It'll be done in a minute."

I looked at her backpack. Inside were the tutoring flyers she'd printed.

Sylvie came over and pulled a roll of bills from her coat pocket.

Twenties, tens, and a few fives, all bunched together.

She pressed the money into my hand.

"Mom, this is what I made tutoring over the last two weeks."

"The SAT prep course starts next week."

"They emailed again today. If I don't pay the deposit by Friday, they're giving my spot to someone on the waitlist. I told them Dad was out of town and asked for a few more days."

"There's a hundred and twenty here. Take it for now. I'm babysitting for Mrs. Miller this weekend, so we can pay half up front."

The crumpled bills were still warm from her hand in my palm.

I pushed them back into her hands and went to the kitchen. From the top shelf of the cabinet, I pulled down the tin where I kept our cash and coins.

Inside was the money I'd saved, dollar by dollar, from months of cleaning houses and pet sitting.

I'd planned to use it for next month's rent and car repairs.

I counted out twelve hundred-dollar bills and laid them in front of Sylvie.

"Use this to sign up."

She stared at me.

"Mom, where did you get that much?"

"Didn't you say Dad's company was having cash flow problems?"

I stroked her hair.

"I've picked up a few more jobs lately. Let's eat."

The mac and cheese had gone cold. The garlic bread was hard as cardboard.

I forced the food down without tasting it.

My phone rang.

Adrian.

I set down my fork and picked up.

"Hello."

He sounded worn out.

"Hey, honey. Have you eaten?"

"I just got back to the hotel. Grabbed a burger on the way."

I didn't say anything.

My phone chimed with a transfer from Adrian.

Two hundred dollars.

"The quarterly payout got held up this month. I'm a little short, too."

"Take that two hundred and pick up a rotisserie chicken and some snacks Sylvie likes."

"We'll talk about the SAT course after I get paid next month."

"Why does Sylvie have to apply to Columbia anyway? She can get a degree at community college just as well."

"And don't start with financial aid again. Those applications want all my income and asset info."

"I don't have time to jump through hoops for you two."

Two hundred dollars wouldn't even buy a bottle of his mistress's perfume.

"Adrian."

"What?"

"I want a divorce."

He went quiet for two seconds. Then his voice shot up, sharp with impatience.

"What the hell is wrong with you now?"

"Because I didn't come up with Sylvie's twelve hundred?"

"Can't you cut me some slack?"

"You're making a big deal out of nothing."

I gripped the phone and listened to him lie.

"Nothing?"

"Adrian, you—"

Before I could finish, a woman's voice cut in.

"Honey, the bath's ready! Come on!"

His breath caught.

"My client needs me. I'll be back tomorrow. We'll talk then."

He hung up.

Beside me, Sylvie tugged gently on my sleeve.

"Mom, don't fight with Dad. I don't need the course. I can get into college on my own."

I crouched down and pulled her thin little body into my arms.

"Don't be scared, Sylvie. I'll make sure you get to go to the college you want."