##Succinct Apology##

She stood next to him looking down to her palms flat on the counter as he gazed into the mirror ahead. Her voice was low and somber when she spoke, and he stopped brushing his teeth at her first words.

"I'm sorry for what I said," she began steadily. Her palms formed a diamond on the counter, she pushed her thumbs and index fingers together as she spoke. "I didn't mean-"-her index finger overlapped the other, the tips going as white as her thumbs under the pressure she applied involuntarily-"I didn't mean to-" She stared at her overlapping index finger intently, noting that it was also white under the nail. God she would much rather drop and do diamond pushups by the dozen than continue this. The words stuck in her throat, and she had to concentrate to force them out.

"I know," he said, and released her from her self torment as he continued brushing. "You're a good one, Kid," and she looked up into his face, profiled as he was busy with the task at hand.

"But-" she started, though he was already immersed in his morning ritual, his eyes straight ahead. She hugged him briefly, to reassure herself, then leaped down the stairs and out the bedroom door. That's all there was to say.