You stood by the gates, with eyes wild like a lion's and a smile as gentle as a purr. There was never any deception, lies, or mess between us. You are crystal clear, and so am I.

We said our hellos and by the next minute, we were laughing as we are: old friends, long separated. You are the brightest, the dearest. Ease and tenderness, jokes and flirtations and laughter.

The years, apparently, have changed us into the version of ourselves that we need to be for each other. What a blessed, blissful time.