Alone with You in the Ether
Aldo copes with a chaotic mind through obsessive calculations and rigid routines; without them, he's convinced his whole framework of existing would collapse. Regan finds most people, including herself, predictable and tedious, and copes instead by living impulsively, treating every rash decision as its own alternate timeline. When they meet by chance at the Art Institute, they strike an odd bargain: six conversations, no more, no less.
What starts as a controlled experiment in connection becomes something neither of them can contain — a relationship built on philosophy, art, and two people slowly learning to be unwell together rather than alone. Olivie Blake's literary romance is a meditation on mental illness, love, and the strange comfort of being truly seen.
The narrative functions as a standalone story, though it shares a thematic universe with other works by Olivie Blake, specifically those featuring the recurring character Aldo Damiani.
The story utilizes a non-linear structure that frequently shifts between the perspectives of the two protagonists to highlight their differing perceptions of reality and their shared experiences.