CLAIRE

The four of us sat around a table built for six.

The two empty chairs felt appropriate. Too much space. Not enough air.

Roman had chosen a restaurant with a private patio room at the back. Public enough that nobody could scream without embarrassing t

CLAIRE

Ethan apologized twenty-three times in three days.

Not that I counted on purpose. My phone did it for me: texts, missed calls, voicemails.

An email with the subject line **Please read this before you decide anything** even though I had already decided.

H

CLAIRE

Ethan was home when the movers arrived.

I had hoped he wouldn't be, not because I was afraid of him, but because I was tired of every practical step turning into an emotional event.

The truck had barely stopped in front of the house when the front door opened. Etha