she sat across from me
inexpensive hole-in-the-wall
our first Chinese food date
the yellow wallpaper
the red lanterns
her smile lighted my heart
deftly wielding the chopsticks
I passed her the fortune cookie
twinkling blue eyes accepted
the sweet fair…
upon crumble the note fell
picking it up with nimble and delicate fingers
she read aloud,
“you and your spouse will be happy in your life”
we smiled at each other
and paid the tab –

this morning I looked at our picture
in front of mother’s Turner home
that cookie message
pressed beneath our lovers embrace
doesn’t seem real
that was 14 years ago –