Loved You

Her voice, which had always been noise, was suddenly music.

The screeching, careless loudness of highschool had long faded-- she wore business suits and collared dresses now.

She no longer changed men every week-- she had been single for three years. Lonely, but proud.

She regretted the tattoo I encouraged her to get-- I regretted it too.

She'd gone to a family reunion yesterday-- back then, she didn't know who her father was.

She'd changed a lot.

But as I sat at the high counter with her, ordering calories and calories of our comfort foods...

I noticed her foot swinging still, like it used to.

And I noticed a heart inked on her ankle.

And I noticed my name in the center of it.

No, she hadn't really changed at all.