I wake up in your arms.
It feels like the first time all over again—
bathed in the gentle, golden light of the morning
my sleepy eyes open to see your gentle gaze.
We say good morning like we have a thousand times,
and you kiss me.
Kind and gentle, you bring me out of my dreams.

The soft cry from the other room
calls us to our baby girl
You go to bring her back to us,
but before you give me a kiss
and that unbelievable smile.
That smile
that makes me swoon like we are eighteen again.

You lay her down in our arms
the birds chirping through the windows.

For a moment I close my eyes,
I remember when we were eighteen
laying in bed
in room 1507 of the Fairmont Pittsburgh.
I was straddling your lap begging you to tell me about the dream you had.
You rolled your eyes and told me it'd scare me,
but I said do it anyways.
You told me that we were in Cape Cod
Wandering the streets.
Just you and me,
and our baby girl.
I laughed it off and pretended to be stunned
but deep in my chest,
in the silence of my heart,
it felt right.

When I open my eyes again,
I expect it to all be just a figment of my imagination.
But it's not,
you
and our little girl
are right there in front of me.
You're waiting for me to return to you,
and when you see I'm back.
You give me that smile.
One more time.

And I am home.