It's always the calm before the storm
But never after.
Restoring a home
Made from dampened wood
And bayonets
That look a lot like
Things you'd say.

Sitting passenger side
While your coworkers crack jokes
And for a second,
Nothing.
Just a chuckle,
A brief indulgence
Followed by a wave of anguish.
Call and response.
And you realize
That this is what moving on feels like.