m crackled with a sud

is face illuminated b

?" he finally managed,

want a divo

bed. "Are you insane? You're throwing a tantrum ov

picked up a folded document. She'd retr

"These are the papers.

to her face, a dawning reali

hese drawn

afte

, Sarah? You think you can just wave some papers around and I'll

the papers f

edside lamp, grabbed a pen from the drawer. "You want

across the bottom line wit

e papers and the

. Happ

room, presumably to the spare room or the couch. He was sti

im go, a cold a

slightly. With a deep, shuddering breath

as d

yes, but

moment. She'd thought, foolishly, that maybe they

nce and blindness, had

d divorce papers to Captain Eva Rostov

rect superior, a no-nonsense

ion calmly, presented the

without interruption, h

this willingly?" she

tain. Las

processed through the appropriate channels. The base legal aid ca

understanding. "You'll be informed once it's final

you, Ca

the base, a strange

n she wou

with pre-deployment drills for an upcomi

mentioned the divorce papers. He was clearly waiting f

eave for the training, he foun

asked, his tone casu

hings," Sarah

I'm gone, can you keep an eye on Jessica and Leo? Just make

rioritization of Jessica st

papers signed, his co

longer recognized, or perhaps, a m

r voice devoid of inflecti

y her easy compliance

o say more, but then his phon

y turning away. "I'll see you when

xercise without another wo

arrived a week la

e phone, hoping for a call, a card,

, she did

m her plans were moving forward. They were

e, not with loneliness, but with a quiet sense of anticipation for

tine. Work, packing,

he saw Jessica Evans across the

ew, expensive-looking desig

carrying across the quiet street. "He was on a training t

a leadership conference. He ha

ng, not of jealousy, but

ip and given Sarah nothing

he divorce should be final any

to avoid an encounter,

ica's lips. She walked p

ark's back in town, you kn

ping her expressi

asn't sure." Jessica's eyes gleamed with poorly concealed malice. "So? Wh

prod, designed to humiliate. J

iance. She wouldn't give

ht smile. "A beautiful diamond tennis bracelet. He sai

hday, buying her a diamond tennis bracelet?

voice cut through th

hat the hell are you talking about?

ace thunderous, having