“We need to talk” texts are scarier than most of the talks. Answer “sure, when?” and keep living.

Four words with no detail attached invite your head to fill the gap, and it fills it with the worst available version. The waiting is usually the expensive part. Most conversations that open that way turn out smaller than the hours spent imagining them, and a fair number are not even about you.

Answer with the practical thing and ask when. Getting a time on it shrinks the problem to a known size and takes the guessing out. Then put the phone down and carry on with your day, which is allowed, and is not the same as not caring.