Avery Came Home From Overseas and Found Her Name on the Lake Deed

He dropped the binder on the marble island, where it landed with a sharp thud that rattled the coffee spoons.

“Good morning, Avery,” Victoria said, her voice dripping like warm honey.

“I’m glad you’re up early.

We need your signature on a small administrative update before nine o’clock.”

I looked past her shoulder through the wide kitchen window toward the paved circular driveway.

The two silver Mercedes sedans Walter used to lease every twenty-four months were gone, replaced by a dusty ten-year-old station wagon with rusted rocker panels.

At Victoria’s throat, the heavy platinum and sapphire necklace Walter gave her for their twenty-fifth anniversary was missing, replaced by a cheap gold-plated chain that left a faint greenish smudge on her collarbone.