Start at the Ending

It didn’t work out.

Somehow it had become her idea. Brilliant! It was as if, just pausing for a few hours was enough to tip her emotional balance from verge to overwhelming. She jumped off the cliff at the opening of our FaceTime reconnect that night I couldn’t come over. She had been waiting. She took a bath. She watched some Netflix sex show from GooP. (Not the best place to look for healthy relationship ideas.)

“I don’t think it’s working out,” she said before I had a chance to even apologize for the work issue that prevented our rendezvous.

“Oh?” I took a beat.

A few breaths in, she said, “You’re not able to give me what I need.”

“I understand,” I replied.

Another beat.

“I mean, with the kids, I don’t have a lot of nights off, and I was really counting on this one. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all day.” I nodded. “And I can’t wait around and then have you not fkn show up!”

I had not seen her mad.

“I agree with you,” I said.

“What?!”

Read more Short-Short Stories from John.