One tab sat apart: Guest Protocol (Mom). It listed scent guidelines, greeting cadence, portion sizes, posture cues, and even acceptable topics to speak on. Next to Breathing style, he’d typed: In through the nose—for calm. Evelyn stared at the note. The words were concrete. Their effect on her wasn’t.
That evening, he brightened. “We should visit my mother,” he said. “She’s particular, but she’s kind. You’ll love her. She always notices when people take care of themselves.” He meant it as praise; she heard it as a test. Still, she smiled, because smiling showed love and understanding.