They couldn't think of something to say
the day you left.
When it rains it pours, you said.
I nodded and took another drag.
We would watch the dogs run around the yard,
oblivious to what had just happened,
and pretend we could be just like them.
I couldn't think of what to say,
short of "I love you, mom" but even those words
choked coming up.
So we sat in silence, and pretended we were everything around us,
and nothing inside of us,
while everything outside of us was falling apart too.
"I hate this **** house" you said.
I nodded and took another drag.