Page 108 of In Sheets of Rain

I sat down opposite him at what had been the Hauraki channel. I placed the documents between us.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Good,” he said. “These the papers?”

“Yes.”

“Where do I sign?”

I indicated where the lawyer had taped a little hand pointing towards a SIGN ME! section on the separation agreement. He flicked through the papers without reading them and signed on the dotted lines where required.

It was done.

I felt nothing.

He looked up and met my eyes.

“Anything else?” he said.

“Is Gregg here?” I asked.

He grimaced. “Yeah. But it’s busy today. Wet weather.”

I nodded.

“So,” he said. “OK, then?”

“OK, then,” I replied.

He stood up and walked from the room. I followed.

I didn't look back.

I didn’t look forward.

I walked through ghosts who cried tears of blood as if they were angels brought down from heaven.

I watched the door close behind me. I counted the panels.

Ten.

Then I walked to my car and left.

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