At year’s end, my husband claimed every flight was sold out and forced us onto a fifty-hour train home.

leave.

Only consequences.

He looked at me again.

“You planned all this in two days?”

“No,” I said.

“I spent two days accepting what you had been showing me for two years.”

His voice cracked.

“Claire, please.”

That was the first time he had used that word.

Please.

I rested one hand over my stomach.

On the train, I had imagined revenge as humiliation.

Watching him now, I understood something better.

Real revenge was removing his ability to hurt me again.

“You should call your lawyer, Daniel.”

Then I turned