A/N: Hey all! I say with forty three minutes only to spare, FELIZ NAVIDAD! And for all of you who don't celebrate Christmas, you can at least celebrate the end of Christmas music playing on the radio. Not a moment too soon, my gift to you all: this update. Much love!
***
Hallie - October twenty eighth
"Oh my God," I said as I took a step back from Casey. "I always do this. I always mess things up like this, I get so intense so fast, and I--"
"Hallie," she tried to interrupt calmly when probably all she wanted to do was scream and throw things.
"Please, don't say anything. We can just forget it ever happened. Oh my God, I'm having a heart attack."
"What?"
"Nothing, never mind, my heart rate just...quickened, or something. Never mind."
"You're feeling tachycardic?"
I rolled my eyes with purpose. "No, Dr. Kenny, I'm just worked up. It happens sometimes."
"You feel tachycardic sometimes?"
"Cut that out."
"Have you seen someone about it?"
"Casey, I'm nervous! I just fucked up with you big time, it's an emotional response."
"Or it's an autonomic disturbance," she diagnosed. "Also known as a post-acute-withdrawal symptom, aren't you concerned?"
"Oh my God, it is exhausting dating a doctor."
"Yeah, back at you, now we're going to monitor that and I want you to let me know if you keep feeling symptoms."
I sighed deeply. "I will keep feeling symptoms as long as I can't erase the past two minutes."
"Will you relax?"
"I'm so sorry, Casey," I said unnecessarily. "I shouldn't have said what I did."
"Why are you sorry?"
"Well not sorry that I feel that way, because it's true, I wasn't lying, but I didn't need to say anything, today, or ever..."
"Ever? You think you should've kept that in forever?"
"No, not forever forever, but I should've waited, and picked the right time. I shouldn't have just opened my mouth like that, not when you're already so stressed--"
"I'm not stressed," she lied.
"When you're busy with other things," I went on.
"I'm not busy," she promised.
"When we were just fighting hours ago? When your kids are upstairs? When we're standing in your kitchen, days after a funeral, awaiting your arrest, surrounded by thirty dead-husband-coffee cakes?"
"Hallie, get a fucking hold of yourself."
"When you're drunk?"
"I'm not--"
"I'm sorry," I repeated.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Hallie, but if you say that one more time you will be sorry."
"Oh my God," I said quietly, obviously put off.
"Kidding," she promised.
"Figured," I muttered.
I clasped my hands together for a moment before giving up. "I have to go," I decided.
"No you don't."
YOU ARE READING
Shortness of Breath
Mystery / Thriller"It was the typical American marriage: day after ceaseless day of betrayal, right up to his very last breath." A full-time surgeon and full-time mother, Dr. Casey Kenny's third career is damage control. Casey's days are spent covering her husband's...
