Don’t Ever Mention Divorce Again

‘What did I say?’ Austyn pressed his lips into a thin, tight line. He didn’t want to say it. The very sound of the word was disagreeable to him. But Kira kept looking at him, puzzled. ‘Divorce,’ he said. ‘Oh.’ Kira had planned to broach the subject of divorce in a year, after she graduated. But she moved up the timetable after what happened in the restaurant. Now it seemed like she’d picked a bad time. ‘I’ll pretend I never heard you say that word.’ Austyn leaned in. His face grew serious. ‘Kira, don’t ever mention that word again, okay?’ Kira saw that he meant it. There was a determined look in his eyes, and a hint of the storm that awaited her if she mentioned that word for the second time. Kira wanted to refuse. She could maybe postpone it, but divorce was written on their marital calendar. It was only a matter of time. But she didn’t want to start another fight with the man. So Kira just kept quiet. To prevent Austyn from pushing her for an answer, she said pre-emptively, ‘I have s