"You're going to tell people."
Dr. Torres says it like a statement, not a question.
"We have to, right? We can't keep this secret forever."
"You can keep it private. Privacy and secrecy are different things."
"How?"
"Private means you don't announce it to the world. Secret means you actively hide it. You can choose privacy without shame."
I sit with that. "But eventually people will find out. We live in Boston. Marcus is high-profile. I run a public foundation. If we're together, people will know."
"And when they find out, they'll judge."
"Harshly."
"Probably. Are you prepared for that?"
"No. But I'm doing it anyway."
She makes a note. "Have you and Marcus discussed how to handle public disclosure?"
"Not yet. That's tonight's conversation."
"Good. You need to be aligned on bou
