A Lie I'm Ashamed Of

I can barely admit this to myself, let alone here, but a few months ago, when my wife wanted to know if I was done with grad school, I lied. Told her I'd finished up, that the whole thing was behind us and I could focus on work and family now. But it wasn't true. I still had classes and papers due, and I didn't want to face another semester or the possibility of failing. It's a lie that keeps me awake at night, wondering when she'll find out and how she will react. Every time she asks about my school stuff, I feel like I'm on thin ice, scared to mess up and let her down. Shame eats away at me for this one little fib.