The world did not explode once. It never did for people like Marcus, or the circles Lynda once admired. They don’t shout their disappointments. They pulled back. withdrawing their warmth quietly, the way sunlight ducks behind clouds with no warning at all.

Lynda first noticed the changes in her notifications. Suddenly, no invites. No weekend brunch reminders. No tagged photos from late-night galas. No more casual messages that were really just a way to dig for gossip. The absence was louder ...