I Knew How To Make It Go Away

Her eyes were raw and red as if she’d been crying for hours but there had been no tears even five minutes before.

“Just… give me a second.”

She gathered herself, mostly through blinking and staring at the floor again. When she started to speak again I realized she was still holding my hand.

“I’m filled with dread.”

Jesus.

“You don’t seem like yourself.”

I found this to be pretty rich considering she didn’t know me at all. Fortunately, I knew how to make it go away. I leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead.

“You don’t have anything to worry about.”

As I lied to her, I momentarily saw myself as a villain in an over-written movie beloved by people who wear shirts with Che Guevara screenprinted across the front. I went to leave again but now her hand squeezed mine and pulled me toward her. She was crying again and now I didn’t know what to do. It occurred to me that I should say something but her lips were on mine before I could speak.

Her entire body was radiating heat and I could feel her trembling against me. I realized my hands were on her face when I felt a tear hit the edge of my thumb as it rolled down her cheek and slipped between our lips. It was a strange sensation that broke the spell of the moment.

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