Rush Hour

Was this a panic attack? 

She googled for symptoms. 

Sweaty forehead: check

Choking: check

Feeling unreal or detached from surroundings: check

Hyperventilaton: check

Nausea: Not yet, but almost there

The traffic wasn't helping her. She checked Google Maps which flashed 35 mins to reach home. 

Licking her lips, she tried to distract herself. She opened her Instagram account and then appeared the Niagara Falls. Everything around her reminded her of the painful moment she was going through. She closed her eyes, and shifted in her seat. 

Her mom offered her a water bottle. NO, a voice in her head screamed. 

"You okay?" her mom asked. "You haven't said a word since we met"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just not used to this"

"Oh, yes the weather is a little humid, but you'll get used to it. So, tell me, how is your job going? Have you got a promotion yet?" her mom asked

"More importantly, what did you eat at the airport?"her dad chipped in.

"Please leave me alone. I'm in a spot of bother now" she mumbled.

Her mom turned around concerned. Her daughter lay sprawled in the backseat in a pained expression. 

It was a familiar sight for her. This happened each time, she and her husband arrived at the airport to pick up their daughter. Her daughter was always paranoid about losing her luggage at the airport so she never let it out of her sight until she was home. 

"Should we stop for coconut water?" her dad asked. It was a family tradition that that they stopped following ever since their daughter moved out of the city. 

"Please don't stop, let's get her home''' muttered her mom.

Finally, they reached home. 

It felt like a vacation of a lifetime. Dropping her backpack to the floor, she rushed to her room like a mad woman. She couldn't stop grinning.

There. She finally liked the picture of Niagara Falls on her Instagram feed, sitting on the toilet seat.