Weirdly enough, this has become a yearly thing.

Wendy texts on a random day and asks, “How are you?”

And Irene gives the same response every time, “I’m okay. How about you?”

Somehow, it feels like they never lost each other. In one day, they update each other. If one has resigned from work, or moved houses, or achieved something new.

Then, tomorrow starts anew.

It never gets past catching-up, simply speaking, but the familiar dip and churn inside Irene’s body never fails to bother her.

She feels the same sensation now, but stronger. Irene wants to hurl.

Today is different. Wendy is assigned somewhere near… and she wants to see her.

It only takes her a few minutes to get dressed and rush to that restaurant three blocks away.

She pretends not to be so eager.

“Hi.”

Wendy looks the same, pretty as ever in her new white uniform. Her eyes smile as they exchange stories in the almost-empty restaurant.

Everything feels the same yet everything has changed.

Irene listens to her talk about work and hobbies, like usual, but she also talks about her and her heart sinks.

Wendy asks her how she’s doing and she talks about her job. She masks the storm in her head and avoids Wendy’s eyes but she sees through it anyway.