Page 251 of The Forbidden Center

You can recite what you did.

“No,” I say. “That’s not the whole answer.”

The officer looks up and waits.

“I didn’t tell her because it worked.”

Saying it here doesn’t make it sound better.

“I got what I wanted, and I didn’t want to go back and fight about how I got it.”

The officer watches me.

“Did you intend to tell her eventually?”

I take longer with that one.

“I hadn’t decided.”

He writes again, and then he moves on.

“Did you expect the marriage to end once Ms. Nilsson’s immigration situation was resolved?”

“No.”

“When did you know that?”

“Before we got married.”

His eyes lift.

“How?”

“Tova asked me.”

“What did she ask?”

“If I’d still marry her mother if they could stay without it.”

“And your answer?”

“Yes.”

His pen moves again.

The officer turns the page.

“Have you and your wife discussed the current separation?”

“Not really.”

“Have you contacted her since she left?”

“About Tova.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”