Le’al squinted enough to get the tears out the way. She fell fast to her knees, crying in her hands."Why?," she tried. But only could mouth. "Why, god? Please," she fought the words out. They spilled low. "Why? What is happening to me?"Le’al let the tears, the questioning continue until she couldn’t anymore.

She learned to do this. Let her emotion flow until her body told her it was satisfied, for now.

Then she got up. Looked in the mirror. Snorted, seeing the red of her eyes and the swell in her face. She always saw confidence in the cherry flush of her face. It looked childlike, clownish - maybe a sign that the silliness of this unexplainable crying would eventually pour all out of her.

"Hope so," she said, sighing into a smile."Can’t walk out like this," she told her reflection.

Le’al splashed cold water on her face. Took paper towels and wiped her hands dry. Finger by finger, then each palm. She used the damp wad of paper towels to gently wipe from her forehead down the side of her face. To her chin. She did the same thing in the other direction.

A clatter of footsteps and conversation passed the restroom door. Shift change, Le’al thought.