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Signing Off

Originally posted Thursday March 31, 2005 12:00 PM EST

March 17: A week before filing for divorce, Aniston accepted an award at the ShoWest convention. Hours earlier, Pitt and Jolie showed up to promote Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Neither Pitt nor Aniston wore a wedding ring. Photo by: John Sciulli / WireImage; Gregg DeGuire / WireImage

Meanwhile, with the release of her comedy Rumor Has It delayed until winter, Aniston now has the whole summer to herself – if she so desires. She has rented a house just up from Cox and Arquette on Carbon Beach.

Pitt was said to be eyeing a summer beach house even farther north. Maybe they can train their telescopes on each other, or meet at a cookout in the sand. But however amicable the aftermath, it's done.

"Neither of us wants to be the spokesman for happy marriage, for coupledom," Pitt told Vanity Fair last June. "I'll tell you what I despise: This two-becomes-one thing where you lose your individuality. We don't cage each other with this pressure of happily-ever-after." Aniston has opened the cage. For better or worse, they're free.

• By Tom Gliatto, Allison Adato and Brooke Bizzell Stachyra. Todd Gold, Michael Fleeman, Kwala Mandel and Pamela Warrick in Los Angeles