The Mutual

The notification came while I was eating cereal —

her name, and underneath it

the mutual's comment:

so happy for you!!!

Three exclamation points.

I scrolled down.

Third trimester photo. Fourteen comments.

People I half-recognize

saying glowing, saying *can't wait

to meet this little one.*

Two years since I heard from her.

No fight. Nothing that could be named —

just the texts thinning out

the way a signal does

when you're almost out of range

and neither of you

turns the car around.

I knew her coffee order.

I knew the laugh she used for other people

versus the one that meant it.

The cereal went soft in the bowl.

I put it in the sink.

Turned the water on.

Didn't comment anything.

Watched the milk go down.