Our Nouns

Me. You. There at the park. That night. After the show. The mountain above us. The moon on a string overhead. Drunken lullabies from a few nearby Latinos. Our first makeout. A little sloppy. Some awkwardness after. But promising vibes. Then the waiting period. Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Bless! The second kiss, a week later, after coffee. The invite back to yours. Your backyard patio. The August sun. Side by side on your merlot-coloured merino wool blanket. A cocktail or two. Some leftover takeout, souvlaki and pizza. Our first sleepover. From then on a couple. An item. Dinners. Dancing lessons. Double dates. Movies. Museums on a Monday. Taco Tuesdays. Cuddles. Long walks. Road trips. Our first fight. But not our last. The dating period. Days. Weeks. Months. The first confession. Those three big words. The sunlight of your smile. Requited love. Another upsurge. New altitudes. Light-headed at the possibility of a future together. The move. Domestic confluence. Our worlds on the weave. The mating period. Or at least a trial of sorts. Weeks to months to years. Birthdays. Anniversaries. A partnership. My quirks and your quarks. Understandings. Unspoken contracts. Routines. Rituals. Regularity. And then out of nowhere a death. Your mother. A suicide. Far too sudden. Like a cruel self-fulfilling omen. And a downturn for both of us, but much more for you. A dark depression. Like an endlessly fitful slumber. The suffocating period. Weeks, days, minutes. Seconds like centuries. A gradual shift. Tectonic motion. A chasm between us. Unstated but undeniable. Nameless. Inexplicable. Incomprehensible. And before long an admission by you. Another person. An affair. Perhaps just an escape. A distraction. Something different. Somewhere else than here. This decay. This sadness. And shortly after, the necessary separation. Our worlds on the fray. Rupture. Destruction. Dissolution. Months later, a peaceful reunion. A few pleasantries. Then some tears. Yours not mine. An apology. Followed by forgiveness. Absolution. A long meaningful hug. Understanding. There at the park. You. Me. That day. Our last.