[yeah kind of hard to miss the pomsky barking over the network—]

But he doesn't know how you came back?

[Four months ago...worry and heartbreak snag and twist together in her throat, threaten to choke her. Four months he's been carrying this and she didn't know, and Caleb might've known some of it but not everything. She wants to come over right now and hug her friend, tell him it'll be all right now—she's here, she can shield him, she can help.]

...you know that you can talk to us about anything anytime, right? And we'll be here for you whenever you're ready. I won't judge, promise.

[A beat.]

I'm working on it. [Currently, it's...uh. It's. Going.] At least let me pay for the drinks.