The fluorescent lights of the Independent Grocers were harsh and unrelenting, casting a cold, sterile glow that made the Saturday morning shoppers look pale. The air, a mundane blend of fresh bread and floor wax, was brutally contrasted by the icy humidity of the dairy aisle, the coldest, quietest corner of the store.
Blake, a figure of frantic, soaking energy, moved through the aisles like a storm front. His chest was heaving from the run, the spill of cold coffee still dampening his shir