ia

driver pulled up to the heavy

open, and my breath

ed rose gar

were a tribute planted in her memory,

to the sky. A cheap, brightly colored plastic children's playg

bag of groceries. She halted as if she had run into a w

and down with imm

doing here?"

younger woman's voice dri

ula? Simon barely slept after ta

ow, sickening churn that was n

sband was in my house, and he had

the wrought iron g

d. She marched forward and thr

t out. This is my

y training kicked in, suppressin

te of rust that had risen in my throat, forcing

out a loud,

My daughter bought t

wider, and a woman ste

ject manager I had mercifully handed a lucrative contra

oze when

rim dented and stained with the dark residue of his first gunf

eyes on

own," I c

read across her face. She raised the mug to her lips and de

s Simon?

e doorframe. "Why are yo

, straightened her posture

t had a beautiful baby together. Now get o

Civilian neighbors stepped out onto t

at I must be the bitter ex-wi

ho you are. You are Simon's ex-wife. The one who

ivorced," I

ou hit your head and forget th

r voice loud enough for

n divorcing you was an escape from misery.

heir phones, pointing their ca

e. I did not care about the

ctly toward t

ock my path, her hand pr

r wrist, and I applied a precise, educated pressure to the ra

beneath it, a slow, volcanic heat was already building-the ki