An Unwanted Guest

by Shari Lapena

She can’t just throw everything aside and do what she wants so that she can be happy. Women don’t get to make fools of themselves like that. Society won’t let them. But men do it all the time.

Can’t anyone else smell it? She’s always had a very acute sense of smell. She’s sensitive; she’s always been sensitive. Teddy’s like that too. Doesn’t like tags in his clothes, very fussy about his socks. She lifts her wrist to her nose and tries to breathe in her own fading perfume.