How are you?

The sea kissed our feet and went back, like that shy girl from Farm, hiding behind her mom’s curtains, revealing herself part by part.
We had laughed hard that evening.

I nodded to the question, the usual one eye closed nod that you hated. I heard a sigh.
This place hasn’t changed a bit.

And you?

Remember that one time we raced down a hillock? I wish I
could go back to that day and ask myself how I could smile when everything was going downhill so fast. How could I be brave enough to battle the winds with open eyes and laugh at my bruised knees?

A single rogue wave climbed up our ankles
and knowing how waves lead on to waves, I held her hand and we took a few steps back.

She looked at me for the first time that evening. Why did you leave?

For a long moment the question hung in the salty sea breeze,
circling around us like a cat waiting to be fed. Eventually, it went away,
searching for its answer someplace else.

She put an arm around my shoulders.
I felt warm and tears came easy.
Let’s go home, baby.