Chapter 7

Paul sat at the kitchen table for a long time, staring at the paper I'd slid in front of him. The words sat between us like a wall: The undersigned, being sober and of sound mind, acknowledges that the marriage of the parties is irrevocably broken and waives any right to contest an action for dissolution.

"Where did you get this?" he asked.

"From the internet," I said. "It's legal in this state. I checked."

"Even with the —"

"Even with the void petition? Yes." I held up the page with the red stamp. "I spoke to a lawyer this morning. She said it was a good document. She said it would hold up in court."

"You spoke to a lawyer."

"I did."

Paul's jaw worked. I watched him think it through — the options, the angles, the ways he might wriggle out of this. I'd known him long enough to read his face like a map.

"I want to see her," he said. "Kira. I want to explain."