“I think we need that,” Zack agrees. Being chronically exhausted can bring out the worst in a person. On some mornings, when he’s still buried in the emotional hangover of one of their fights, he’ll wake up and realize the fight itself was so stupid and unnecessary. Why did we even let it escalate to that point? he’ll wonder. Then later that day, he’ll remind himself that fatigue and resentment can add fuel to even the most minor arguments.

“After the wedding and honeymoon, it was just straight into work and it’s been nonstop for both of us. She’s actually suggested we go out for drinks during the week instead of just coming home and planting ourselves on this sofa and staring at our screens for the night,” Zack says.

They both stop talking when they hear the sound of the keys in the door. Two seconds later, Suhani’s dropping her purse on the tiny table in the front hallway and saying, “Cauliflower bowls? Niiiice.”

Zack pats the spot next to him. “Have some.”

Suhani takes a bite and makes an mmm sound, conveying that she thinks it’s delicious. “So, what were you guys talking about?”

Zack and Natasha exchange a glance. At the same time, they both say, “Nothing!”

Eleven

Suhani

Hey, you have a second?” Vanessa says as she opens Suhani’s office door. She’s in an outfit that they both have from a shopping trip to the outlets. Vanessa saw the bright-pink tweed dress on a mannequin and claimed it had Elle Woods vibes. She’s paired it with blush pumps and fuchsia lipstick.

“Sure! I’m not doing anything except trying to see a dozen patients an hour.” Suhani smiles and motions to her computer screen. “Haven’t had a chance to eat or pee. My new intake patient wouldn’t stop asking me where I’m from. I kept saying Atlanta and he still kept asking.”

“Why didn’t you tell him it’s none of his business?” Vanessa asks.

“You know I’m never going to say anything like that,” Suhani says. “And I honestly think he was trying to make conversation. At least he didn’t ask where my grandparents were born.”

To Vanessa’s point, Suhani needs to get better at switching between different types of armors throughout the day: the polite armor, the assertive armor, the I-can-handle-every-task-and-never-need-a-break armor. Sometimes, she has brief images of another life: opening a margarita stand on a beach, working at an airy, sun-filled flower shop, becoming one of those fun ladies who lunch. She had looked up some of these alternative careers when she almost lost everything in med school.

Out of the corner of her eye, Suhani sees a text from Mom pop up on her phone.