“What happened? Did you and Prime break up?” Yusef asked, with voice sounding small.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
“But—”
“Yusef. Please.” My voice cracked. “Just let me think.”
He went quiet. Turned to look out the window at the city passing by.
A few minutes later, he spoke again. Softer this time.
“Does Prime know the truth now? About us?”
My heart stopped.
I turned to look at him, trying to read his face. His expression was guarded. Nervous.
“No,” I said carefully. “He doesn’t know anything.”
Yusef nodded slowly, relief flickering across his features. “Okay.”
“Leave it at that.”
He didn’t push further. Just went back to staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts.
I watched him for a moment. This little boy, carrying secrets no twelve-year-old should have to carry. And I knew he felt the weight of everything pressing down on me, too.
Prime didn’t know the truth about us.
But he would. Eventually.
And when he did, panties under the bed would be the least of our problems.
The apartment feltdifferent when we got back.
Smaller. Darker. Like we’d outgrown it somehow.
I dropped my bag by the door and just stood there for a minute, looking around at the space I’d called home for the past year. The worn couch. The tiny kitchen. The water stain on the ceiling I’d never gotten the landlord to fix.
Twelve hours ago, I’d been in a penthouse overlooking the Potomac. Sleeping in silk sheets. Dreaming about a future I’d almost let myself believe in.
Now I was back here. Back to reality.
“You hungry?” I asked Yusef, forcing myself to move toward the kitchen.
“Not really.”
“You should eat something anyway.”
“I’m fine. I just…” He trailed off, heading toward his room. “I’m gonna practice for a bit. Clear my head.”
I let him go. We both needed space to process.
A few minutes later, the sound of piano drifted through the apartment. Something soft. Melancholy. Matching the mood perfectly.
I made myself a cup of tea I didn’t really want and sat at the kitchen table, trying to figure out what to do next.
Monday. The parole hearing.
