I placed mine over it and kept it there until we reached the outskirts of Charlotte.

For all my wealth, the touch of her hand still felt like something I had no right to take for granted.

PART 15

The Settlement Nobody Wanted

The divorce settlement remained on a shelf in my study for almost two months.

We had agreed not to destroy it in a rush of relief, but its presence began to feel like a challenge.

One morning Meredith took the papers down and carried them to the breakfast table.