A steady rhythm of light from streetlamps fell over Nina’s silver Dodge Journey as she drove Rosa home from Oklahoma City. Wisps of steam from the crisp, cool Monday morning air hung over quiet streets. The silence in the vehicle was deafening. This despite the soft hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of clothing as they shifted in their seat.

Nina’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Her body still tingled from the evening’s events, yet she found it inconceivable what occurred, what she had done. Nina had crossed a line, a boundary she had never even considered crossing, and her reaction concerned her. Guilt, shame, in spades, and yet, she found a part of herself exhilarated, alive.

She stole a glance at Rosa, her sequins illuminated in flashes. Rosa stared out the window, her reflection in the glass giving away nothing of her thoughts. Nina wanted to reach out, to touch her, wanted that intimate connection again, but she held back, her hand falling on the transmission knob instead.

“Rosa, I—” Nina said, her voice hoarse from the silence. She was uncertain what she wanted to say, how to express the turmoil of emotions swirling inside her.

Rosa turned to her, her eyes soft and understanding. “It’s okay, Nina. You don’t have to explain anything. Everything feels new and overwhelming. But I’m here for you, no matter what. Because I love you, and I love Gerald. So please don’t ruin this moment with words. Words often fail me, with little good coming from them.” Rosa reached out and took Nina’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“You mean ruin this moment with words to Gerald.” Nina said, looking away. “I can’t keep this from him, Rosa. He deserves to hear the truth.”

Nina’s eyes welled up with tears as she envisioned the conversation she would have with her husband. The possibility of hurting him brought her unbearable pain. But she also knew she could not keep this secret from him. She had to be honest, no matter how difficult it might be.

Rosa tussled her tangled hair and sighed. “I realize you can’t keep this from him, Nina. And I’m not asking you to. I’m just asking you to take a moment, to breathe. To consider how you wish to approach this. Consider your framing of the events for both yourself and him. Because once you say the words, you can’t take them back, Nina.”

“Frame it? I tasted Liam’s release!” Nina said with crazed eyes. “He climaxed in Rachel’s mouth and she kissed me with his seed still on her lips. It swirled in my mouth, Rosa. I swallowed it. I enjoyed it.” Nina’s offhand trembled on the steering wheel as she processed the evening’s events.

Rosa’s grip on Nina’s hand tightened as she brought it to her lips for a gentle kiss. “Nina, look at me.” She waited until Nina’s eyes met hers. “You didn’t suck his cock. Liam didn’t fuck you. He caressed your pussy, and you kissed a woman.” Rosa said. “You did nothing wrong, Nina. You explored, you sensed, and you experienced something new. And that’s okay. It’s okay to want more than what you have, to crave something different. But don’t let it destroy the life you built with Gerald.”

Nina took a deep breath, processing Rosa’s words. “Rosa, you say, caressing my womanhood like it’s trivial. Me kissing a woman as if it’s right.”

“So my kiss was wrong?” Rosa asked with a frown.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and Nina shook her head. “No, Rosa, that’s not what I meant. Your kiss was... it was incredible. It was everything. But Gerald is ignorant of this. He is unaware of Liam, Rachel, or what transpired tonight.”

Nina exhaled, failing to steady her nerves as she pulled her Dodge into Rosa’s cement driveway. The headlights illuminated the small, tidy house, the warm glow of the porch light spilling into the night. She put the vehicle in park and turned to Rosa, her eyes meeting hers in the dim light.

“Rosa, what do I do? How do I face Gerald after tonight? How—”

Rosa’s kiss cut Nina off. It was a tender kiss, a stark contrast to the intense earlier kiss in the bar. Nina melted into it, her body responding to Rosa’s touch despite the turmoil in her mind. When Rosa pulled away, Nina lingered, longing for more.

“You know how to face him, Nina. Be tactful, loving, but don’t justify something good. Gerald loves you, Nina. He’ll understand, in time. And if he doesn’t... I swear I’ll make it right. I love you both too much to watch you fall.” Rosa said, her wet eyes surprising Nina as she exited the vehicle.

“Now, go home, Nina. Go home to Gerald. You’ll be okay. I promise.”

Nina nodded, taking a deep breath as she turned back to the steering wheel. She put her Dodge in drive and pulled out of the driveway, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. She heard the confidence in Rosa’s words, the promise in her voice, and it comforted her, gave her direction.

As she drove, Nina’s mind raced with thoughts of Gerald. She reveled in the happy memories, his smiling face a beacon of light.

And she imagined how his face look at her upon revealing the truth. Nina relived the fear and guilt coursing through her from earlier, but she realized she had to do it. She had to be honest, no matter how difficult it might be.