Page 70 of The Wife

I could do that and it would mean taking away all her choices.

She thought she was giving me my freedom back. The reality was, I was giving her hers.

I signed and dated the page in front of me.

I felt sick.

She watched me do it. Waited to see me do it really. She nodded and then did the same.

“Ellie…”

Wait.Waitwas the word I had been about to say, but it was too late. She was done. She lifted her chin as if to show how courageous she’d been in doing it.

She was.

Howard collected the papers from us. “I’ll file these today.”

We both nodded but said nothing.

“You two okay?”

He must have felt it. Whatever it was. I wasn’t sure. I just knew that the room felt dark. Devoid of all light.

“Yes,” Ellie barked. Like she was forcing the word out of her mouth. “This is a good day. We did it.”

I stood and shook Howard’s hand. Ellie needed to use the ladies’ room, so I waited for her out in Sue Anne’s area. Sue Anne was chatting about Christmas, but I wasn’t paying much attention.

Eventually, Ellie emerged. I could tell she’d been crying, but she had her shit together now.

We walked outside, no longer married, and for the first time in my life I think I understood what the wordheartbreakmeant.

Ellie reached for my hand and I linked our fingers together.

“It’s going to be okay, Jake. We’ve got this.”

I hoped so. For both our sakes.