He walks back to my welcoming doorstep,
Hand over his face.
I ask him what happened... what his emotions are.
He reveals a smile.
As he opens his mouth to reply, I already know.
I hug him hard.
Surprised, he whispers, "How could you tell?"
His face is an open book.
"I just know. Was it good? What was her reaction?"
I smile as he blushes.
"She was pretty confused, but it was good."
He's excited.
Careful, I thought, hold in that new, unbridled mustang.
Don't become too wild.
"Tell me everything. From the beginning." Consenting,
He sat down by me.
"We were dancing, but got too tired.
We sat down.
We'd only been there for an hour and a half,
But we were exhausted.
She was flushed, but laughing. We had just
Danced the polka."
Inside my head, I imagined their dancing.
I snorted.
"What?" He asked, a confused smile lingering
On his tanned face.
"Oh, nothing," I quickly assured him.
"Continue!"
He didn't notice my head shaking as he went back
To his dreamy expression.
"Well, I asked if I could get her punch...
She said 'No, it's fine.'
So we just sat for a minute, music playing.
And... I felt it."
"Felt what?" I asked, trying to remind him
That I was still there.
"That overwhelming urge... so, I leaned over,
And asked if I could.
She was so surprised, and that made me
A little sad.
But she reached a slender hand towards
Her neck.
She pulled the necklace I made her into the light.
Its reflections danced."
He had made her a necklace on the finest chain,
Delicately, carefully.
"Staring at it, a smile crept over her face. 'Okay.
You can kiss me.'"
He looked like he could sit there for hours,
Remembering.
I had to nudge him along. "So.... what happened then?
What'd you do?"
He looked at me, as if surprised to suddenly find me there
Next to him.
"Oh... umm... well, of course I kissed her! What else?"
His eyes spoke volumes.
"Yeah... I got that part... but how?" Sometimes I had to remember
That boys weren't girls.
If he were my sister, we would have talked for hours
About one kiss.
But, this time it was my brother, and I needed
To be patient.
"Well, I leaned down, eager but a little hesitant. An inch from her,
Her lips reached to mine."
Satisfied now, I watched him stare at the stars. Quietly,
I went inside.
As I looked out the window at him, his eyes still searching
For answers in the moon,
I wondered how I became so experienced, so knowing
About love,
And wondered how I managed to give advice to those I love,
Advice that's useful,
When I have never yet experienced love for myself, except
In my dreams.
Talking about my brother. In a glorified poetic way, that is... ;)