It rang. And rang. And rang. Ever’s eyes flitted to the window. Logan flicked the cigarette butt, ash buffeted by a light breeze.

  “Hi there, this is Zoe.”

  Ever’s heart skipped a beat. “H-Hi Zoe, I was-”

  “...Gotcha!” Zoe’s recorded voicemail said, ending in a giggle. “I could be reviving an animal right now, so I can’t get to you. Leave a message and I will-”

  Ding! Ding!

  Ever fumbled his phone, ending the call just as Logan came through the door.

  Logan swept into the serving area, looking a little distracted. He grabbed his apron off the hook on the wall, his gaze falling on the clear plastic box full of business cards.

  “Why did you grab that out?”

  Ever held still. His instinct was to cover up Zoe’s card. His mentor’s words conveniently crystallized in his mind, almost as if he’d broadcasted them just then: a half-truth still contains truth.

  “I was looking for this,” Ever said, showing Zoe’s business card confidently. “Mimi’s owner asked me to help her out and it just so happened that the winner of one of online events was a vet.”

  Logan gave it a cursory look and nodded. “Fair enough. Anyway… that was one of the suppliers just now. Do you remember trying out a couple of new flavors a while back, Cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice?”

  Ever was still physically in the store - but his mind wasn’t. It was back a month and a half ago. Taylor was just starting to withdraw: not making eye contact with Ever, making every reasonable effort to not touch him, even as she walked past. It was a time of his brief life on earth that he wasn’t fond of.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Which was it?” Logan asked.

  “Hmm?” Ever shook his head gently.

  “Was there a flavor you preferred?” If his boss was losing his patience with him, he hid it quite well.

  “Yes,” Ever replied. “I liked the Cinnamon.”

  “OK.” Logan crossed his arms and puckered his mouth, deep in thought. “Do you remember if customers liked one a lot more than the other?”

  Now when he was asked to recall something, his mind drew blanks. Was this how the human brain was all the time? Or only when it missed someone?

  “I think it was roughly the same, I can’t be sure.”

  “Hm. Alright. I might ask Tayzer. We’ve still got a bit of time anyway. October is next week but Halloween isn’t until the end of the month.”

  A red-headed woman came in, child in tow. She looked up at the menu as she pinched each finger one at a time, taking her gloves off.

  “Hello, welcome to Pagoto’s,” Logan said, flashing a masterful customer service smile. “What would you like to try today?”

  —-

  “Hello Zoe.”

  Ever’s finger hovered over the ‘send’ button, eventually dropping it.

  “My name’s Ever. You won some free scoops of ice cream from Pagoto’s. Not sure if you remember me.” His finger tapped ‘send’, no hesitation this time. He cupped his chin and mouth, looking around. At the end of the day, he’d walked back to Clementine’s park. Pigeons pecked furiously at the wafer cone he crumbled at his feet.

  He was tapping out his next message when he saw a blue bubble with three, bouncing circles appear.

  “How could I forget the guy who called me complex and sweet? ??”