I stop to look up at the moon,
breathless and shivering.
The crisp autumn leaves crunch under our feet
as we march down the winding path.
You turn back to check on me,
and the light from the street illuminates your face just so;
I can see the giddy warmth of the evening’s drinks reflected in your eyes.
You are happy and that makes my heart a touch warmer.
I raise my hand up to my face
to shield it from the sun.
A drop of water from my bottle
escapes onto my shirt.
You offer me your hand, and we swing back and forth.
A few steps behind the rest, but I don’t feel like we are left behind.
We are quiet and we both breathe in, and then out.
Silence is our language and I bask in the way your accent ebbs and flows.
I rise from the floor,
my legs are like jelly after sitting for hours.
I make my way to the door
and trip on a stray shoe
that someone left behind.
You urge me to keep going.
As you giggle and make silly jokes
about what happened the night before.
I love hugging you when we are like this,
and your echoing laughter washes away my worries for the night.