I walked out to the parking lot with the empty glass still in my hand. I set it on the roof of my car before I got in. The folder was in my purse and the edge of the papers pressed against my side the whole drive home.

I left the windows open because the smell of the wine was strong in the car. The radio was on but I do not remember what song was playing. I just remember the air coming in and how it did not take the smell away.

When I got home the house was quiet and the light on the porch was still on from when I left that morning. I heated a casserole but I did not eat it. The folder went into the hope chest after I changed out of the blue dress. The dress is still in the back of the closet and it still smells like wine no matter how many times I wash it. I sit at the kitchen table most nights and the words she said come back when the house gets this quiet.

Mark has not taken my calls since that night. The bank called him last Tuesday about the joint account and Diane said he went in to look at the statements. He has the papers now but the marriage certificate with the other man’s name is still in the hope chest. I am not sure I will ever show it to him myself because the whisper told me he might not believe it came from me anyway.