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
