r's plush, impersonal office. Ms. Albright, a sharp woman

Nine-thirty.

rocedure for a certain type of spouse, Mr.

said, though the words

different species, especiall

e had called. Ms. Rossi was unavoidably detained in an emergency b

. "Unavoidably d

a courtesy, not a requirement, if she chooses to be uncooperative. We can serve her. Or, even better, wit

e a plan. I felt

ent when Isabella inevitably decided to make an appearance. My new place, a small one-bedroom near Zi

late that afte

you quit." Her voice was laced with an unfamiliar note. N

's not my old office any

re can we meet?" Then, a softer tone, the one she used when sh

Consider this your notification." I pictured her face, the surprise, the anger. It gave me a small, grim sat

w living room when there was a hard, insistent knock on the doo

igner handbag slung over her shoulder. And something else.

r. "What do you

er the bare walls, the boxes, my half-assembled bookshelf. "This i

ing." I made a point of looking at my wat

vet-wrapped box on my cheap IKEA cof

lance at it. "I

pen it,

en me for our first anniversary, the one I'd left in her jewelry box when I moved out. A replacement. A meaningless, insul