Ex-Wife, Please Have Some Self-Respect

he world into streaks of gray and black. The wipers were fighti

g wheel. His knuckles were whit

as l

ing up a dress. A Dior evening gown that Catarina needed for tonigh

mach tighten. Acid burne

ss, Jorden. Don'

ina's assistant, had already called twice. He hadn't answered. He was driving too fast

uck didn't look like lights. They

laned. It crosse

he tires locked. The Volvo spun

metal screaming against metal, a deafening crunch that vi

a

to the chest. The steering column crushed inwar

dark

ot si

white light. He fell. He fe

ain was being pried

ssin

as a sensation. A press

d in the dark. They weren

ure to coagulate an egg yolk. 62.5 degrees Celsius.

emory of a left-hand arpeggio. Th

anatomy of the human heart. The exac

lgorithms. Market volatility. The

o a vessel that had been empty for three years. It hurt. It felt like his neurons were being b

the void, but n

tion co

kness s

ng. 110 over 70.

al. No, it was human,

eactive. He's

like rubbing alcohol and burnt

g down his temples. He was staring at a ceiling ti

? Can you

him, but he knew the type. Tired eyes, caffeine trem

throat felt like it was f

o Jorden's left eye. "You were in a severe acc

running behind his eyelids, green and gold code ca

e rasped. "

ou know wha

brain supplied more. "October 14th. The barometric

the light away, frowning s

t agony flared in his ribcage. He w

's shoulder to keep him down. "A concussion. Multiple contusi

ed it instantly. Intercostal nerve irritation. Inflammation. Manageable thro

justing his IV drip. She looked at him with pity. That familiar look. Th

eel like that h

at the bed

as e

No card. N

was shattered, a spiderwe

e," Jord

nded it to him. "It rang a f

display glitched, colors distorting,

missed

e Va

e Va

e Va

e. Not

didn't put it to his ear. He

piercing the quiet hum o

e for thirty minutes! Did you get the dress? Atticus needs to match his tie

She looked away, e

ared at t

ilating, texting apologies, begging for forgiveness for something that wasn't his faul

t

t... n

hing. He fe

who couldn't be bothered to call him when he didn't show up. A

curity, devotion, desperation-were gone.

ook the

tatus: Liability. Return

ed the v

d monitor for internal bleeding. We usually ask for a next of kin to be present for conse

s eyes, usually warm and pleadi

His voice was ste

re? It's ma

ed out. His hand didn't

signed his name. The signature was

n his hand

reen l

i

"Oh! That must be h

from a foreign language. A label for a job he had j

't swip

ume button on the

zzing

e face down on the

h," Jorden said to the d