I did not emerge with every dollar I believed I deserved, and Gavin did not walk away with nothing.

Reality rarely resembled the revenge stories people wanted to hear.

The important difference was that I had a voice in the outcome.

One afternoon Lauren called to say Gavin had agreed to amend a provision about the home without another round of argument.

“Why?” I asked.

“His lawyer says Gavin understands there is no basis for pretending you signed those earlier documents.”

I sat beside my desk, looking at the framed photograph of my grandmother.