For the first time, she failed to sense a presence. And when she finally noticed it only meant studied indifference. Somehow he seemed to seek avoidance at all costs. Perhaps it was an expression of anger at her for having crossed boundaries. Or maybe it was an avoidance of what had disrupted an otherwise cordial bond. Perhaps distance was not just physical but emotional as well. Or maybe what had been born unplanned, unexpected had learnt to move into the recesses of the greater depths. She had perhaps tried to replace a nod with a beat of the heart. And that is why perhaps everything ceased, nods hellos and the beats. And when all had ceased perhaps she would hold to what he would never know.