xactly three feet

grandson?" Kather

f her boots up to the messy bun on her head. He let o

hern's neck prickle with heat. She pressed her lips toge

ply shoved the blue folder forwar

His voice was flat and ha

her hands. She flipped it open. Inside was a thick

brutally clear. Complete financial independence

marriage would last exactly six months. Upon termination, the husband

his hands shoved deep into th

rn around and walk away righ

his dark eyes. She reached into the front pocket o

pped to the very last page of the document. She pressed the pen

She slapped it flat against t

hern said, her voice completely ste

d the folder, turned his back to her, and walked toward the m

to keep up. They walked through the revolving d

around them was filled with couples holding hands,

et of empty space between them. They stood as rigidly as tw

unter. A balding clerk named Walter looked up at th

his marriage voluntarily?" Wa

word dropped from his m

teadying breath, kept her expression perfectly neutral, and said "Yes

s. He slid a stack of forms

e out," Wa

ccupation box, she wrote 'Handmade Shop Owner'. She glanced over her

porate drone at a massive company. T

aggressively on his keyboard. The printer behind him whirr

ght hands," Wa

epeated the standard vows, kee

e. There was zero inflection in his tone. He soun

aid, sliding the papers tow

ed at her name printed next to a man she didn't kno

it, folded it in half with a sharp crease, and s

his tone strictly business. "We nee

m the counter and walked back throug

instantly. Kathern shivered, her shoulders pulling inward against the cold.