Carol sat at the table, coffee in hand, and looked at a particular spot on the kitchen countertop. Her sigh, so audible that Chris could hear it from down the hall, was followed by a sip of coffee and a murmur of Chiao’s name.

“Hey, what’s wrong,” Chris said, leaning on the doorframe leading into the kitchen. Carol looked shocked over at Chris almost like being broken out of a trance. She sat there and stared at Chris with wide eyes as if she had seen a ghost.

“I-it’s just-“ Carol’s mouth turned into a big frown and the coffee cup in her hands started to shake. She set the coffee cup on the table and covered with one of her hands  as a sob cracked through the silence in the room. Tears fell down Carol’s cheeks as she tried to blink them away.

Chris stood leaning against the doorframe still looking over at Carol. She cursed her brain for not being able to think of anything to do to comfort her friend, and opted for sitting across from Carol at their kitchen table. She took the hand that Carol was not using to cover and held it with one of her own.

“over-oh god-“ Carol was broken off by another fit of sobs. She took a deep breath and looked up at Chris with tears in her eyes threatening to fall. “Me-“ Carol’s voice sounded shaky almost like she would crack at any moment, “me and Chiao are over.”