What should I wear?

His question caught me off guard. It wasn't what I had expected, and I knew immediately that it wasn't what was truly on his mind. But I didn't push him. Instead, I answered, trying to keep my tone light, "The usual time."

He nodded, but I could see the wheels turning in his mind, the way his thoughts seemed to drift somewhere else, somewhere far from this moment. There was something almost mechanical in his actions, as if he were going through the motions without really being present. It worried me, this distance between us, this wall that seemed to have sprung up overnight. But I didn't know how to break through it, didn't know how to reach him.

After a long pause, he spoke again, his voice softer this time, almost tentative. "Let's go to dinner tonight."