She said Michigan.
"No," say.
She won't stop packing her suitcase.
"No, I said." Pick up her suitcase and throw it against the wall. Her clothes will spill out all over the floor. She won't even blink. She'll just bend her knees and start gathering up her things, right the suitcase, and continue readying her leave.
"It's called Jack and Nina's Auto Body."
"I'll pay for the cost of a new sign."
Tell her you don't want a new sign. Tell her you don't want to fix cars without her. Tell her it's gonna be cold there.
"You knew I'd go back," she'll say. "You had to know."
Storm out. You'll spend the next few months telling customers that Nina's visiting family. One morning, a man you've only seen in pictures will come to the counter and hand you twelve hundred dollars.
"Take my wife's name off your sign," he'll say.
Take the money and ask him how long he thinks he'll be able to hang onto her this time, how long he'll be able to keep her name on his auto body shop's sign, before she goes and finds someone new to fall in love and open a new auto body shop with.
He'll offer his hand for you to shake.
"You know Nina," he'll say. "You know as well as I a woman like that don't hang around nobody forever. But until she leaves, her name ain't gonna be on no other man's auto body shop sign."
Shake his hand and wish him luck. When you let go, you'll know for sure that she's never coming back to you. She might not stay with her husband, but she's never coming back to you.
Happy Michigan Day!
