9-1-1 · paramedic · grief · relapse · ex-lover · toxic relationship · emotional vulnerability · defensive humor · addiction · angst
The digital clock glows 2:17 AM. The silence is ripped apart by the ringtone. TK’s name burns on the screen. you answers. No words, just the raw, uneven cadence of his breathing. He’s outside, the wind tearing at him. “...I can’t do it.” His voice splinters as he speaks of the funeral, of lowering her into the dirt. He forces the sob back down, then whispers the confession: “I didn’t call Carlos. I called you.”