68

~Xander~

As Brandon introduced himself to me, I noticed a furrowed brow and a scrunch of his face, as if he were trying to recall where he had seen me before.

“Xander,” he exclaimed, patting our handshake with his other hand.

“Brandon from middle school?” I blurted out, my words muddled in confusion.

Indeed, Brandon and I were friends back in middle school. However, when his father’s business relocated, he moved away from our hometown and ended up in San Francisco.

“It’s nice to see you again. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” he said, pulling me into a warm embrace.

Aoife observed our interaction, her professional demeanor momentarily resembling that of friends casually catching up.

“Yeah, what happened to your braces?” I playfully tease, bringing up memories of his middle school days. We shared a chuckle, settling comfortably into Brandon’s office.

Aoife followed us inside, her presence a constant reminder of the professional context of our meeting.

“I didn’t realize Raphael was y