"The Book Store"

It was on the second station of Japan’s third largest mountain that they agreed to stop loving each other. Izuichimonya Mountain was popular for pilgrimages, but in the off season, on the remote western island of Shodoshima, there were only a few hikers. The weather was unseasonably warm. So much so that she was without coat and he had only a cotton shirt. He had packed seven clean pairs of socks.
Having read and highlighted his hiking guide she was prepared for snow. She loved the stuff and focused on the mountain wide-eyed, hands at the hips, in a stance that appeared genuine. Of course she feigned this posture so that he would regret the words not sooner spoken. Goodbye. A ‘this is best for both of us’ adage. So she stood as she did, partly in punishment. One part. The other to convince herself of her footing, there, on a mountain, with a promised seven hours of movement.
Within five hours they had agreed on a spoken settlement. She, the dog; he, the business with half the profits of their two year partnership paid to her as soon as they descended, flew home and unleashed their respective keys. The dog was with his mother, 13 hours behind. He tried once to touch her back, though as he did she adjusted her camp sack to sit squarely on her shoulders. He grazed nylon as she had a habit of walking too fast. Five hours up and two down, she stayed the lead.
Trouble was, she was without map, without experience, without want or will to climb mountains. She liked cobblestone streets. When traveling she’d always shop for novelty items; buddhas in bibs, jade tiger statuettes with needle sharp teeth, to display in their shop. Now she had a rolled tapestry in her bag, a camera, 202 pictures full, keys, his unwashed undershirt and a book. Thick. Blunt.
That book wasn’t debated in property assignment but would be, when they reached flat ground to find it laying face-up, a kilometer or so off course near the train turnstile. She checked her bag- couldn’t recall having thrown the thing and he, heated, assumed responsibility. He said I threw it in anger. She said I threw it in disgust and the book became their child of divorce and the riotous unraveling of their business. 412 pages and they even resorted to taking separate flights.