Glancing at the speedometer, then at Juniper’s distant expression, Sophia’s concern blushed her. “What exit are we taking? You don’t use GPS?” She wanted to be a good copilot, to help ground her friend in the present moment.

“Twenty-seven,” Juniper replied absently, her thumb tapping against the steering wheel, her mind clearly elsewhere.

When the conversation inevitably circled back to Daniel, Sophia noticed how Juniper’s whole body tensed… shoulders climbing toward her ears. “You can’t live your life worried about not wanting depending on other people,” Sophia offered carefully, her hands sketching shapes in the air between them.

“There’s stuff and there isn’t stuff. Like when you go to the grocery store - if you see empty shelves, you panic and grab whatever’s left.”

Sophia paused, savoring the tiny crease forming between Juniper’s eyebrows.

“But when there’s plenty there, you feel at peace, knowing you can always come back tomorrow. People find peace knowing something will be there in the future and anxiety when they think it won’t.”

“Stuff, you know.” Juniper’s fingers drummed faster.

“That’s why when I open a practice, I’ll put my retainer on sale once a week… scarcity… bi-monthly felonies…” Sophia watched as the concept sailed right over Juniper’s head, her friend’s brow furrowing, eyes narrowing at the road as she tried to connect the dots.