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forever immortalized on film, washed
over her anew. Abby shuddered. It was a memory she’d like to forget, a memory
that haunted her, a memory that cut like a knife. She was both humiliated and
traumatized at the thought of it. It was at that moment the whole world had
come to know her name.
    The
headline read, “Where is Abigail Miles? Has She Disappeared?” What? I’m not
some child on a milk carton . Abby was not being hunted for the sake of
wanting her back. The smaller print beneath the ugly photograph made it clear.
    “Will
the country's most hated psychologist ever show her face again?”
    Abby
cringed as she saw Craig's hand reach for the paper. Is he really going to
buy that? Her cover was blown. Everyone in the grocery store now knew who
she was and why she was there, including Craig.
    “I'm
sorry, Ma'am,” the clerk said quietly. “Could you swipe the card again? It
didn't read the first time.” The clerk glanced nervously from Abby to the line
of people which had formed behind her. Abby's hand shook as she ran the card
again, trying not to look at anyone. She wanted so desperately to get out of
the store that she couldn’t see straight. Tears were filling her eyes and she
was losing it. She was embarrassed, hurt, trapped. Her heart ached and felt as
if it was being torn from her chest. She couldn’t stand it. Please, please,
please... can this end?
     
    The
receipt finally began to print. Abby snatched it from the clerk and impatiently
tried to pack the cart. She glanced back at Craig briefly, watching as he
flipped the paper over. He put it back on the stack so her face was hidden. He
paused to pay for his ice cream, but Abby could not wait any longer. She had to
get out – the stress was suffocating. Abby scurried out of the grocery store,
not realizing she had left her bags.
     
    Abby
stood outside, her mind flooded with jumble of disconnected thoughts. As she
paced back and forth on the sidewalk outside the store, she was in a near panic. They know who I am? How will I face them? And Craig... will he tell anyone? Will he keep my secret? Heck, will he even give me a ride home, knowing who
I am? She didn't think so, and only then remembered she had left her
groceries inside. Stupid, stupid, stupid. What am I going to do? I can’t go
back in!

Abby was so frantic she couldn’t think straight. She rounded the corner of the
store, thinking only of getting away. I could certainly call a cab from
here... or just walk. I’ll do anything to not face Craig again. She
struggled to keep the tears from streaming down her face. Once more, she felt
like a specimen under a microscope. She was breaking down, again . Oh
please... I don’t want to go back to the sanitarium. Maybe I can run away? Dark
thoughts flooded her with such rapidity she couldn’t help but loathe herself.
Abby was so swept up in a tsunami of pain and self-doubt she couldn’t form a
rational thought. It was the hand on her arm that snapped her back into
reality.
    “Abby!”
Craig said in a forceful tone. “Breathe... just take a deep breath.” He
struggled to meet her eyes but held her gaze once he found it. His hands cupped
her face.
     
     “Ready?
Breathe with me.” He took a deep breath in, and blew it out. It was calming.
Abby fought it. She didn't want to breathe. She wanted to disappear. She didn't
want to be shown kindness. She didn’t deserve it. Torrents of tears flowed the
moment Craig said her name.His touch was
unbelievably comforting. It was the first time, in a long time, anyone had
offered her genuine comfort.
    “Breathe,
I said.” Craig was harsher in his tone this time, holding her face firmly. Abby
drew in a ragged breath. It felt like spikes lined with razor blades slashing
every part of her lungs. She hated panic attacks; they were the scariest thing
she had ever experienced. She had never had them, until the event. Abby didn’t
know what she hated most - the crushing pressure in her chest, the tightening
of