The last day I had an encounter with someone I truly loved, I held on to their hands tightly and slightly pulled on the sleeve of their coat. A button on the sleeve came off easily since only one hole was supported by the thread of the coat lining. I kept the button. I had struggled to be a part of this person's life for almost four years. Each hole on the button represented a year. The last year was the year I finally had to learn to let go.