Before We Part

well, here we are.

I'm here, you're here. That's all I've ever needed from life. Mornings of coffee on the balcony, afternoons spent wandering through bookstores and farmer's markets, evenings ambling down walking paths in the neighbourhood. You were able to relax while I prepared dinner, but you had other plans for the evening. Dinner was made, the table was set, our favourite Billie Holiday song was playing. The sound of heels against hardwood floors approaching the dining room made me turn to see you carrying a suitcase in each hand. My smile dropped seeing you in your peacoat. There wasn't a word that could form in my head before you said, "I'm sorry, I can't keep on like this." Tears started to form in your eyes, those same eyes that won me over those years before, but now, I don't know what to think. I turned the record off, took a deep staggered breath, and asked in a quiet but not quite hushed tone, "So, this is it then? You're just going to leave?" My throat tightened as the last syllable left my mouth. You adjusted your outfit and wiped away a tear from your eye. "I don't want you to think that I don't love you with all of my being still, far from it, but," I brought myself closer to be within an embrace's reach," But?" You cupped my face between your cold hands "But, I feel and believe in my heart that we weren't meant to be together now. Maybe as we are or in this lifetime itself. I believe, more than anything in this world, that we are meant to be together at one point, but my love, we were not meant to be in this life." You planted a kiss on my cheek, looked into my eyes for what felt like minutes but truly only for a glimpse. You gathered your suitcases and left through our door, down our steps, across our lawn, into the back of a taxi. I watched as those tail lights faded ever so slowly down our neighbourhood street, disappearing into the night. Leaving me in a house, that no longer feels like a home.