AVA'S POINT OF VIEW.
I should have been disturbed. That was a normal reaction. Anyone other than this person would have replayed again and again the sound of that voice, slicing into space without warning or hesitation because it made so many demands simply by virtue of its presence in their lives. Anyone other than this person would have pressed this moment for size by pushing on it to see how it hurt.
But I did not have that feeling. I was lighter. I left the door closed behind me and leaned against the door to support my back against the wood. I exhaled slowly. I did this when I wanted to feel the sensation sink rather than rise. My mouth turned up before I could catch myself. It wasn't a smile for anyone's eyes. It was simply a private reaction to relief.
It was one word, but it cam
