-

e paused

n the TV screen in the open-plan kitchen. The local evening news was

art st

e remote, but her

m Florence International

as

avy suit he wore that morning when he kissed her

his a

wo

er than Selina's, but the resemblance was unmistakable. They looked almost li

n't a busine

sn't a

was

ar

n he onc

an who

ised was no longer

e chicken was burning, and the anchor's voice was saying s

nit

r co

y hit the floor w

een sta

mile - the one Selina hadn't seen in over a year

oom t

a drama

books or movies

o sob, no glass shatte

as only

round her chest and squeezed unti

-

idn't

idn't

tove, sat on the stool ne

.. she di

opened fiftee

. Slow. P

ened. His tie was loosened, his cufflinks removed.

when he

in years, they st

ly s

wasn't

asn't s

ly," she said so

it hurt. Then

nvelope on the cou

a quie

ds didn

ady saw?"

odded

't both

rse he

-

ooked down at

CE PA

Crisp.

k, already written w

ech. No explanat

sil

ly. But whatever he was goi

lope aside with one

not rushed, not stiff

dn't

hy she wasn't begging. Why she hadn't a

he top of the st

d down like silk

proving I was neve

ne you set

-

idn't

elope still sealed in her lap, the lights o

n't come

stairs never

one gives away a business card -

fig

tea

she had always

had finally

t

-

d barefoot into the closet and stared at the clothes she

er silks, neutrals

d to match

intles

ase and laid it flat on the f

ho had done this before -

irs of t

co

ing their honeymoon in Prague - back

the tur

verything

-

ssed in a plain blac

nightstand - gleaming in the last morn

their Florence v

or me

e she'd taken h

in that house, her

who waited

s for anniversary dinner

Is it me?" when his si

ad been buri

attended

-

't leave

't slam

a, dragging her suitcase over cob

ort. Passp

hadn't

heartb

-

Geneva, Sw

t because i

ea

tta

knew he

have to exp

with nothing but he

t and stared through the glass like it

fered a polite smile.

ked if she wanted cha

e boarding pass in her la

-

m the Florence runway,

ing she hadn't

ememb

-

k: Two Y

d wedding a

ng baking chocolate s

s warm, quie

e home

like musk and exhaustion. Hi

o greet him

ay gently. "

"Is someth

loosening his cufflinks. "I'

't started

e one who

, she overheard

the

the

r. Lo

asked wh

part of her..

-

tly as it dipped tow

sat rigid in her seat, her n

her like a map dra

he ground ris

old h

stop surviving a