el

ragile and thin, a ghost in his frantic orbit. He hadn't spoken a word to me since

hed forward, his hands gripping t

a mild concussion and a sprai

the door, and when it opened and Bianca emerged, looking pale and delicate with a bandage on her wrist, his world narrowed to

ble. A piece of furniture. It was a familiar feeling, but

the hallway for a long moment before turning and walking out of the hospita

. The delicate porcelain cup, one of a set Dale had given me for my birthday, slipped from my gra

Bianca's smirks, but the broken pieces of a me

inking to my knees ami

liked my coffee, who would kiss the tip of my nose just to make me smile. When I cut my finger once, just a small nick from a kitchen knife, he' d treated it

d up, dripping onto the white floor. I stared at the red drops, a stark contrast to the clean, col

ove I thought I felt for Alex? No. It was a mirage.

e sorrow-a fierce, cold determination. Aust

pping my hand in a paper towel. Then I walked to my office and pulled up

ve the papers. Can you have them

e said gently. "Or give verbal authorization

, my heart a steady, even drumbeat in my chest. H

t, Hazel?

o authorize m

e off. "

loying voice. "Alex, darling, can you help

from Alex. It was gentle, patient, almost tender. "O

sal for me, the boundless tenderness for her. It

louder this time. "Is that Hazel?

, still curt, but with a new edge. "Fine. Whatever it is,

hun

n to end our marriage without a second tho

urier arrived. I spread the papers on the dining room

Sellers. Not Higgins. Th

ee

in, Texas. First class. The flight was for the day after tomo

e, a strange sense of liberation filling the empty spaces in the cl

walked in. He looked tired but content. He sa

e asked, a hint of a

dismissive gesture he sometimes made when he wanted somet

-air. He looked at me, truly looked at me, for the fi

," I said, my voice as calm as a frozen lak