you“If anything, she’s helping.”
“Right,” you say, and you kiss my cheek. “Stay away, Kate,” you warn and then you walk away. When you get to the door you pause, looking back over your shoulder. “You’ll be better for it.”
I press my lips together, and that’s when I see that thing in your eyes, the thing that nearly does me in. Sometimes with you it"s not much, a glance in my direction, a nod, the sound of your voice saying hello. Other times it"s everything, it"s your fist reaching in, taking hold of my heart, controlling its rhythm, giving me life and taking it with you when you go.
* * *
Stay away, Kate. You’ll be better for it. The words ring in my ears. I’ve heard them before. I shake my head doing my best to will the memory away. But it pulls me in, swirling back and forth, bounci
