She called it “sparking” because the flickers reminded her of the shocks she got when she danced around the living room rug in tights. She taught herself to focus and then braced herself for the electrical spark that followed, allowing her to see the world through another person’s eyes and gain a glimpse into their soul. When the conditions were right, and her focus was strong, few were unsparkable.

It was with surprise, then, that one day that she found herself distracted. She was at the supermarket picking things up for her mother, and he was organizing apples in a bin with the precision and thoughtfulness of an artist. The white apron tied around his waist fit snuggly, reminding her of an enormous loincloth. Later, she decided what distracted her most was the way he held each apple so delicately in his big thick hands, as though each one might crumble at his touch.

When he saw Therese, he smiled with a grin she could tell he had practiced in the mirror. His eyes were the color of silver and gave the illusion that they were transparent—that if she looked closely enough, she could see into his head. But she had forgotten to look that close and, before she could turn back and try, the moment for sparking was gone.

“Want a bite?” He lifted one so close to her face that she could feel the warmth of his fingers against her cheek. She tore a plastic bag from the roll at the side of the display and threw two apples inside. Then she smiled, turned, and walked away.

To her mother’s surprise, she offered to do the grocery shopping every week. In the produce department, she taunted him by hiding and then willing him to turn and spot her. As the weeks passed, he became more and more adept at a sport he never knew he was playing. It seemed he could sense her presence within seconds, and she quickly grew tired of the game.

Therese was confused about her attraction to the grocer. She was always successful with boys, but this time things were different. This time the stakes seemed higher. There was something special about him, and she never questioned her instincts.

His name was Tim, and he loved chocolate shakes. They met after work and went to the Friendly’s across the street from the supermarket where he always instructed the waitress to make his shakes extra thick. It fascinated Therese to watch him struggle to get the drink up through the straw. His cheeks would sink in and his lips would purse and it seemed as if all he cared about at that moment was getting the sweet taste into his mouth. He spent a long time studying the menu, and then when the food came, he ate it slowly, many times just taking the first few bites even as she neared the end of her meal.