L8: Lint or, "Finally, Miriam's story begins"

From K8:
He'd spent years growing out of that, he thought, as Miriam began to speak: years teaching himself to embrace brighter, tighter shirts and British-looking jeans. Years of taking two deep breaths and speaking "whoa" into his chest before walking into the room.

"Whoa," he muttered, waiting for Miriam to dive in.

"You see," she started, plucking a tuft of lint from her track suit, "I was in love once, too."