She said: that is separate.
She said: the statements made today will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office.
She said: there will likely be charges.
She said: but that is not your case to manage.
She said: your case is the one sitting in front of the judge.
I said: yes.
She said: do you accept the terms?
I sat in the hard chair of the corridor outside the courtroom.
I thought about nine years.
I thought about the savings.
Twelve hours at a time.
Night shift after night shift.
The account that was going to be the house with the big yard.
I thought about the version of myself at thirty-three who had believed Thomas when he said they were going to build something.
She had been wrong.
But she had not been foolish.
She had been a person who trusted the specific version of someone they were in love with.
