He thinks he recognises her

the smile slips out before he realises

this stranger, fleshed with her features, has borrowed

her body and sits in challenge

there, across his bacon and eggs

her breath between them

lips moving cheerfully, over his coffee

eyes alight (a smart trick, that)

this routine relies

all normality depends – on his not revealing

he know the truth: the truth he knows

he will not betray

the smile freezes; she returns it

patient