“Cait is coming into town this weekend,” Aria said, hoping she sounded casual. “So, I was going to get dinner with her Friday or Saturday.”

“That’s short notice,” Erik said. “What about the kids?”

Aria felt a pressure in her chest, heard a ringing in her ears. She swallowed, and the sensations receded. “I think they’d be alright for one night,” she said. Erik grunted. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen Cait,” Aria said brightly, like she was introducing an entirely new topic.

“She really should have given you more of a warning,” Erik said.

“About two years.”

“I guess that’s how she’s always been though,” he said with a shrug. “Only thinking of herself.”

The pressure returned. A deep breath. “I want to go.” She hated that it came out sounding like a question.

“You’re putting me in a really hard spot here.”

“I’m sorry,” she said automatically.

Her face must have betrayed some emotion, because Erik suddenly spoke gently, “I’m just trying to think of the kids.”

Shrill noise, burning in her ears. The pressure in her chest rose, swelled, erupted. The noise kept getting louder. She couldn’t swallow, couldn’t breathe. Her scream had escaped.

* * *

Story by Gregory M. Fox