“Your Mother and I agreed that you should pack your things and leave. Tonight, straight away. She was too upset to even talk to you, so she’s staying with her sister until I call to say you’re gone.”

Moses said in an angry tone.

“Please, no! I… don’t have anywhere to go!” Pearl felt tears welling up.

“Also, didn’t you have to write essays about what a fine moral character you’ve got as part of your college applications? I think the colleges should probably send these as illustrations and appendices for those essays. Provisional acceptance is very easily revoked, you know.”

Pearl hung her head and looked down at the...