□p>T□e □econd e□coun□er loomed□ahead, shroud□d in a veil □f □□st□ry and un□ertainty.□Antic□pati□n fill□d t□□ air, ming□ing with a □□nt □f n□rvo□sness□ The m□m□ries□□□ the f□r□□ meeting played li□e a □ilmstrip in my mind, each □ra□e dissected and □naly□ed□in□an□attempt to pre□□ct th□ out□ome of t□is im□en□ing rendezvous. W□uld it be a m□re□□eplication of the □n□ti□□ inter□ct□on, or wou□□ it take□□n a lif□ o□ its own, f□rging a new□path □il□ed□□ith un□xpected□twists a□d t□□ns□□