Page 12 of Don't Think

“Good.” Ana nods. “This is your time, and he knows it. Don’t let him get inside your head.”

“Yeah, but hey,” Nora chimes in. “It could be worse. He could be like Michael and never take his kids. I fight with him constantly about taking Emma and Salem, and he still refuses. At least Trevor actually tries.”

Thereit is. I was beginning to wonder if she’d finally given up on sticking up for him, but clearly that was wishful thinking.

Nora’s always leaned a little more toward Trevor in the breakup. Not openly, but it’s definitely been there. With the subtle digs, the“you had it made”comments. The quiet judgment. She’s made it seem like I should have stayed simply because he stuck aroundphysically. As if presence counts for anything when the person is emotionally MIA.

But even love has a limit, and you can only go so long feeling invisible before something in you breaks.

Maybe Trevor didn’t leave in the middle of the night like Michael, but he did stop showing up one day at a time. Always working late with some excuse at the ready to stay away a little longer. And when hewashome, he was buried so deep in his video games that nothing could tear him away. He was completely tuned out of real life when the girls needed him—whenIneeded him.

It was like living with a ghost of a man I loved for six years. He was gone long before I ever decided I was done.

I turn to face Nora, blinking fast to try and keep the tears from spilling over.

“You’re also lucky you’re a teacher and automatically get the summer off,” I say, sharper than I intend, but I keep going. “I only got this time approved because Dr. Mahan’s out of the country until August. And yeah, I know Trevor takes the girlsnow, but being away from them formonths.” My voice catches. I swallow past the lump in my throat that already feels like sandpaper. “It still sucks, Nor.”

The silence stretches while I wait for her to say something.Anything. But she just shrugs and looks back down at her phone.

And then just like that, the guilt creeps in, curling deep in my chest.

Should I apologize for snapping? Probably. But part of me is just tired of having toexplainwhy what works for my family works.

As much as I hate to admit it, though, Nora’s not completely wrong. Itcouldbe worse. I am thankful that Trevor didn’t use our breakup as a way to step back from the girls, holding it against them. Because if he had? That guilt would absolutely eat me alive.

Still, it stings. Especially knowing how much Ana and I showed up for Nora when Michael ghosted her three months ago. From watching her girls when she needed space to breathe to dropping off groceries when she was sick and being a shoulder to cry on when it all got too heavy to carry alone. We were there for her.

But that’s exactly why we’re here. This trip is supposed to be our reset. A break from all the crap we have no control over.

Suddenly, the crowd lets out a loud cheer, snapping me back to the moment. I jerk my head up just in time to see the venue doors swing open and three security guards step out, lining the entrance with their arms crossed.

My stomach lurches while I scramble for my purse, digging through every zipper compartment.

“Shit!” I blurt.

No. No, no, no.

This isnothappening today. Why is it always one thing after another?

First, I oversleep, then Trevor’s text throws my mind for a loop, and now? Now I can’t find the damn tickets.

“What’s wrong?” Nora asks, suddenly at my side, peering over my shoulder while I frantically dig through every tiny compartment.

Why do purses haveso manypockets?

“The tickets,” I mutter, still digging through the black hole that swallows everything.“They’re… gone. I swear they were in here.”

Ana chuckles and casually holds up three tickets between her fingers. “Did you forget I said I’d hold onto them?”

I blink, looking from her face to the tickets and back. “Maybe,” I admit quietly while the corner of my mouth twitches into a smirk.

She places both hands firmly on my shoulders. “Relax. Deep breaths.” She inhales deeply, eyes on mine, waiting for me to follow.

When I finally do, she lets it out slowly, and I mirror her.

“Okay. That’s good.” She smiles before shimmying her shoulders. “Are you ready to inflict pain on everyone around us and steal someone’s boyfriend?”

My mouth drops open. “We arenotdoing that!”