Climb into the car with my soon-to-be-ex a few tense weeks into divorce. I swallow against our lack of words as we drive to pick up his car from the garage; pull onto the highway, the silence like staples piercing my skin. Desperate, I tell Alexa, “Play some music.” Truth Hurts by Lizzo comes on. Eyes wide, I mumble some excuse about him not liking Lizzo. Push skip. Lizzo is replaced by Gayle: abcdeFU. He shifts. I cough, eyes wide. Push skip. Taylor Swift, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. Sweating. Skip. Beyonce, Single Ladies. I give up.
Betsy Ellor thinks Alexa knows her a little too well. Her debut picture book My Dog is NOT a Scientist comes out Spring of 2023. Find Betsy at www.wordsunboundstudio.com, on Twitter @bewordsunbound, and on Instagram @betsy_ellor_words_unbound.