My Daughter Begged Me Not to Get Off the Bus—Minutes Later, My Boyfriend Sent a Photo of My Deed Beside a Contract I Had Never Signed

Questions about completed transactions and losses had to be addressed on their own records.

I was not entitled to every other woman’s information.

When people chose to speak to me, I listened to what they wanted to share.

I did not ask them to produce private bank statements so I could decide whether their experience counted.

Amanda and I met again after one of the interviews.

She asked whether Lily was sleeping.

“Sometimes,” I said.

I asked how she was doing.