Page 39 of The Yoga Teacher

She exhaled through her nose, pressed her knuckles into the edge of her desk.

Just do it.

A knock on her office door made her jerk.

“Am I interrupting?”

She looked up. Carmen.

Hannah blinked, forcing her expression into something neutral. Carmen had been her colleague for years. A little older, sharp, polished.

But they weren’t… close.

At least, not close enough for Hannah to want her standing in her doorway right now, watching her like she could see straight through her.

"No," Hannah lied, leaning back. "What’s up?"

Carmen stepped inside, holding up a file. "Final numbers on the community outreach expansion. I figured you’d want to look them over before the next meeting."

Hannah nodded, reaching for the folder. "Thanks."

Carmen didn’t leave.

Instead, she hesitated—just slightly—then tilted her head. "You okay?"

Hannah’s fingers tightened around the folder.

Shit.

She hadn’t thought she was being obvious. She had come into work, done everything she was supposed to do. No breakdowns, no crying in the bathroom, no slipping up.

But Carmen was watching her now with that look.

Not pity.

Not concern, exactly.

Just… knowing.

Hannah inhaled through her nose. "Yeah, just—" She forced a small, tight smile. "Long weekend."

Carmen lifted an eyebrow. "Mmm."

There was a pause.

A beat.

Then, casually, Carmen said, "You know, when I got divorced, I put it off for months. Not because I didn’t want to do it—but because talking to a lawyer made it feel too real."

Hannah froze.

Her throat went tight, her pulse stuttering.

She had never heard Carmen talk about her divorce. Ever.

Carmen leaned against the desk, crossing her arms. "I stared at that email for two weeks before I sent it. Kept telling myself I’d do it tomorrow. The next day. Next week."

Hannah exhaled, voice quiet. "And then?"

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