Britain and the European Union have signed their divorce papers, but that's not the end of the 45-year relationship. It's just the start of a British political battle over the separation.
Now the deal must be approved by the UK Parliament, where no party has a majority and lawmakers range from burn-the-bridges Brexiteers to reconciliation-seeking supporters of the EU.
Legislators on both sides hate the deal, a compromise that keeps Britain outside the EU with no say but still subject to the rules and the obligations of membership at least until the end of 2020 while a permanent new relationship is worked out.
May has promised a vote before Parliament rises for its Christmas break on December 20.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay has admitted that winning the vote will be "challenging."
She argues that rejecting it means "more division and more uncertainty."
In an emergency Britain could ask the EU to postpone the departure date, giving more time to find a solution to the political mess. The EU is not obliged to agree, but might prefer delaying Brexit to the chaos of "no deal."