she gave him many reasons
to leave her
but he stayed
each time she told him -
she did not love him anymore
he told her he still did.
she humiliated him many times,
sometimes, in front of their friends
he took the insult -
with a smile on his face.
'how can you?' friends asked
‘it’s coming from a place of love’
he told them.
he knew what others did not.
each night she cried in bed -
when she thought he was not in the room
she pretended to be asleep
when he climbed in next to her
she faced away from him -
slept near the edge of her side of the bed
he slept facing her,
but he was careful not to get too close.
he let her be -
he gave her the space she needed.
but -
when it was finally the time,
when things went awfully wrong,
when the pain was unbearable -
and it hurt even to breathe,
he held her hand -
and climbed in bed next to her
he knew he had to be careful,
to not cause her more pain.
he kissed her on the lips
and she not only let him,
she kissed him back.
he put an arm around her
his hand resting on her left breast
and he felt the thudding of her weakened heart
finding its way through her ribcage.
she kissed him on the cheek
and whispered, ’thanks’
he simply kissed her forehead.
‘I love you’ she said
‘I love you, too’ he replied -
still holding her.
that night she slept peacefully –
snuggled close to him
he stayed awake the whole night,
feeling her heartbeat against his palm
early morning he moved his hand from her breast,
there was no heartbeat to feel.
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