They looked into each other’s eyes and could feel each other’s pain. She told him what she dealt with

her whole life and he told her about his troubles. He’d said he wanted to get on the right foot, after

making the wrong decisions. She’d said she wanted to be more assertive and a success in so many

words. Together their hearts were interwoven, because they conversed and shared what went on with

each of them. She saw him smile at her for the first time, his smile appearing to be genuine. She told

him that she loved him and it felt good to hear those words in return. She hadn’t seen him in years,

hadn’t heard from him, didn’t see him that much when she visited, so she didn’t know what was going

on. She had to ask. He told her a lot of things she didn’t think he’d endured and his reason for not

getting in contact made sense. She listened and understood. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to spend

time with her or catch up on the happenings in her life. It was just that he was so focused on waiting to

get his life together, that he disbelieved she would enjoy being in the midst of his complicated

situation. He’d rather her be in the midst of a healthier situation, where his choices wouldn’t be

choices that would deter her from wanting to be around him. But she wished he’d let her decide that

for herself, instead of doing the thinking for her. Now they have almost a decade between them and

they are too close to be strangers. She hoped that during her last visit, her heart spoke for her. She

hoped that he’d know and realize that she loved him anyway regardless. That no matter how old they

got, with or without families of their own, that that love for him would never change.