Chapter 1

My husband works at the Space Agency, and he only makes it home a few times a year.

My neighbor, Roberta, is married to an astronaut too, and the two of us often get together for drinks.

Last night she waved her phone around, tipsy, and said, "Your husband is so sweet. He sent me another Nebula Necklace and said it looked like my eyes."

I'd seen that necklace before, in the picture—he'd told me it was a test sample, locked away at the very bottom of a drawer in his study.

I didn't make a fuss. I even wiped away her tears.

Today he had a rare day off, and when he walked in he carried the unfamiliar scent of gardenias.

Roberta loves gardenias more than anything.

He bent down to change his shoes. "This trip ran long. Thank you for holding down the house."

I leaned against the wall and studied him.

"Percival," I said slowly, "Roberta says you gave her a Nebula Necklace. Funny thing—there's one in our drawer too."

His fingers froze on his shoelaces.

"You said it was a test sample. Locked up for three years."

I gave a small laugh. "Why don't you go over to Roberta's tonight? I'll just melt down my wedding ring and have it made into a chain."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Roberta's voice came through, sweet and syrupy. "Percival, that razor you left at my place last time..."

His head snapped up toward me.

I stepped away from the doorway and gave a little "go ahead" gesture.

For the first time, those eyes held a panic I'd never seen in them.

But it was too late.

In the nightstand, the divorce agreement was signed and dated, just waiting for him to come home tonight.

......

The doorbell kept ringing, each ring more urgent than the last.

Roberta's sweet voice carried clearly through the door.

"Percival, are you home? I made some soup. I'll bring you a little."

Percival's face went deathly pale.

His throat bobbed as he tried to explain.

"Aria, listen to me. It's not what you think."

I ignored him.

I walked straight over and pulled the door open.

Outside stood Roberta, holding a thermos, a perfectly gentle smile on her face.

The neckline of her silk nightgown was cut a little low.

When she saw me, her smile froze for an instant.

"Oh, you're here too, Aria."

I stepped aside so she could see Percival behind me.

"Your Percival's right here."

"Come in. You went to the trouble of making soup, don't let it go to waste."

Roberta's eyes darted between the two of us, at a loss.

Percival strode over and tried to pull me behind him.

"Roberta, it's late. Is there something you need?"

There was a faint note in his tone, hard to catch, trying to send her away.

I shook off his hand.

"Don't be like that. Roberta made this soup especially for you."

I turned and called out toward the living room.

"Perfect timing—I just took that 'test sample' out of your study drawer."

I walked into the living room and picked up the Nebula Necklace from the coffee table.

Identical.

Exactly the same as the necklace in the photo Roberta showed me last night.

The blood drained from Roberta's face in an instant.

The thermos in her hands hit the floor with a clatter, and the scalding soup splashed out, burning her and making her scream.

Percival instinctively moved to help her up.

I spoke coldly.

"Percival."

He stopped.

I threw the necklace down at his feet.

"You go help her right now, and this marriage is over."

He stood frozen, looking at me, then at Roberta, crouched on the floor with her eyes red from the burn.

Roberta looked up at him, her eyes full of pleading and hurt.

"Percival, my foot..."

I picked up a folder from the sofa, pulled out the papers inside, and slapped them on the coffee table.

"The divorce agreement. I've signed it."

"I don't want any of the property. You can have the car and the house—you're the one who earns more."

"I have one condition: we file the paperwork tomorrow."

Percival's head snapped around, his eyes locked on those few sheets of paper.

"Aria, do you really have to make a scene like this?"

I laughed.

"I'm the one making a scene?"

"Percival, five years married—how many days have you actually spent at home?"

"I made allowances for how special your work is. I was proud of you. I kept this home for you."

"And what did I get?"

I pointed at Roberta, a disheveled mess by the door.

"You kept her instead?"

Roberta finally caught up with what was happening and scrambled up, crying.

"Aria, you've got it wrong! Percival and I aren't like that!"

"He just... he just saw how hard it was for me raising my kid alone, so he looked out for me a little more!"

I looked at her and said each word clearly.

"He looked out for you—all the way into bed?"

"He looked out for you by carrying the scent of your favorite gardenias into my home?"

"He looked out for you by handing over a necklace he'd kept locked away for three years?"

Roberta had nothing to say, and her tears fell harder.

Percival closed his eyes, his face full of pain.

"Aria, I'm sorry."

"I lost my head."

"Forgive me this once. I'll cut her off completely, I swear!"

I looked at him and felt how deeply ironic it was.

A space hero. A pillar of the nation.

And right now he was like a child who'd done something wrong, making the most feeble, empty promises.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this Attorney Sullivan?"

"It's me, Aria."

"That apartment I asked you to find—is it still available to rent?"

"Good. I'll move in tonight."

When Percival heard that, he rushed at me, trying to grab my phone.

"Aria! You're moving out? Who are you going to live with?"

His demands were absurd, laughable.

I hung up and looked at him coldly.

"Percival, from the moment you gave that necklace away, you and I stopped having a home."

"And who I live with is none of your business."

I turned and went back to the bedroom, dragging out the suitcase I'd packed long ago.

Roberta seized the chance and limped away.

Only he and I were left in the living room.

A dead silence.