“Just one moment, please,” she said with a gracious smile, raising a finger as if to pause the world around her. The café was a cacophony of clattering cups and light chatter, yet in that fleeting instant, it felt as though time had stood still. She turned slightly, her thoughts apparently dancing just out of reach, before returning with a warm cup of tea in hand. “Here you are,” she continued, as she set it down in front of her guest. “Now, where were we?” The warmth of the brew seemed to fill the space with a sense of comfort, inviting them both to settle back into their conversation, unhindered by the interruptions of the bustling afternoon.