❦

The woman in white
looks up

when the angmoh nurse opens the door

and closes it behind me.

She squints
behind her glasses

and smiles

like she's really happy
to see me.

(Her eyes light up
and everything.)

I frown at her.

She asks me to take a seat

and looks
down

at the papers in on her desk.

Her ponytail
of brown curls

tumble

over her shoulder,

distracting me
for a moment.

What can I do for you, Fiona?

I stare at her,
uncomprehending

until I remember

I'm the one
who asked to see her

on my own terms,

without warning.

Maybe I'm more predictable
than I realise—

the papers in her hands
have my name on them.

Her computer
shows my profile

and notes in a font too small

for me to read.

[Read the full story at novelconbini.com!]