The Reconciliation (a 150-word freaky flash fiction short story) by Oren Shafir

Her body ached; they'd been talking for hours.

"All I ask is that you consider it," Mike said, but he had repeated that sentence so many times that it was ignored.

"Do you think I'm a bad father?" he asked.
"I think you do the best you can," Cheryl said. "It's how you were raised, that's all you know."

"That's not an answer," he said. "I would never hurt the kids you know."

Cheryl saw a tear roll down his cheek.

"Mike, I know you love the kids. Listen, look at me. It's not too late," she said.

Mike released some kind of guttural sound of deep relief.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you all along," he said.

"No," Cheryl said. "I mean it's not too late for you - you can still let me go. Please untie me Mike."