Standing in that kitchen with my finger bleeding, I finally understood that I had not been keeping a secret.

I had been telling a lie, the same lie he told, in the same direction, and the only difference was that he told it to feel powerful and I told it to feel loved.

We had built our whole marriage on the identical falsehood.

Tonight I was going to stop telling it.

A few minutes later I stood at the window and watched through the glass as he put his hand on Ravenna’s waist and kissed her cheek before helping her into the black SUV.

Leontyne and Corvina climbed in behind them.