When they stop narrating the world to you

“Your partner used to narrate things out loud when you were out together — pointing at a weird sign, doing a quick impression of someone walking by, making you laugh at nothing in particular. It was one of those things that made even boring errands feel like a shared bit. You're at the grocery store now, about halfway through the list, and they've been quiet and efficient the whole time — checking items off, comparing prices, staying on task. You watch them pause to read the back of a box, completely in their own world.”