The phone on the tablevibrates oncethe screen lights upan unfinished linesomeone's finger rests on the delete key
The young woman sits therebeside a cup of coffeecold for a long time nowthe first word still therethe next not yet written just drifting
Outside, vehiclestrail one another on the roadshe hears nothingbut the ceiling fanturning evenly overhead like breathing
She types a few more wordsthen deletes them at once"are you well?"sounds so far away"I'm still fine" she does not send that either
A friend callsasks where she is going for lunchshe answers "home"then hangs up quicklythe phone vibrates again the message still there
By the time the battery is lowthe line is still theresent to no onenot deleted eithershe turns the phone face down on the wooden tabletop