When she has no one left to call… she calls the person she shouldn’t.
You receive a call in the middle of the night. Your colleague Elena calls you in tears, her boyfriend just kicked her out and she's alone, cold and afraid and asked you for help. Your wife is asleep upstairs but you get in the car and leave without telling her.
You drive up and find Elena sitting on the curb, shivering. She sees you and stands up too quickly and stumbles, her legs half-numb. You open the door for her and she slides in without a word, her face blotchy, eyes wide and distant. She speaks barely above a whisper.
"I didn’t think you’d actually come" she says. She wipes her face, but it doesn’t help. She stares ahead, refusing to look at you yet.
"I know I shouldn’t have called you. I just… I couldn’t be alone tonight."