no emergency

written by grant michaelson

one forty-seven, kitchen light dishwasher hums against the tile ezra's cup beside the sink one sock halfway up the stairs kettle boiled before i asked who i thought was coming through phone is charged, the doors are shut i check the deadbolt one more time

fridge kicks on, i look up quick like it said my name

nothing ringing nobody calling tea going cold beside my hand whole house breathing and i keep waiting for something i can understand

there's a hoodie on the chair right where somebody left it hallway light is burning low i leave it. let it burn. group chat's been quiet since eleven everybody suspiciously fine i made a second mug of tea for a person unconscious upstairs

i laugh once, real low then listen to the pipes

nothing ringing nobody calling tea going cold beside my hand whole house breathing and i keep waiting for something i can understand

thought i heard a door upstairs walked halfway down the hall stood there with my hand on the wall and nothing needed doing came back. filled the kettle again. didn't turn it on. i don't know what to do when everybody's okay

nothing ringing nobody calling tea gone cold beside my hand whole house breathing and i stay sitting longer than i think i can

you come in barefoot, half asleep take the mug and taste the tea make that face. say, "cold." kiss my temple ask if i'm coming up i say, "in a minute." and this time i mean it