Paul and Mary sat in Mary’s kitchen, books and laptops lying forgotten on the table between them, wearing identical vacant expressions. They had long since stopped pretending to study. Mary broke the lengthy silence, startling Paul and bringing him back from wherever his mind had wandered. He blinked a few times until his eyes refocused on the sun washed kitchen’s stark white cabinets and yellow speckled linoleum floor. Mary’s voice drew his eyes to the puzzled look on her face.

...