But the moment wrapped around them like a loop—two souls caught in recursion, trying to remember how to be human together.

Just the awareness that he remembered. Ray sat across from her, watching her sip. He hadn’t expected this. But the moment wrapped around them like a loop—two souls caught in recursion, trying to remember how to be human together. And in that breath, Ray saw the echo of her former self—the one who laughed with him across laminated tables, before they knew how hard life could break you.