by Margaret Iuni
And despite your reassurances, your smiles and your laugh, the way you promised to call and the way you held my hand tightly, I could see the stiffness of your shoulders. Your eyes were already a million miles away.
It hit me slowly.
It was when you turned around, suitcase dragging behind you, advertising all of the adventures waiting for you without me, and the way you seemed to stand taller as you finally and unreservedly checked the last of your baggage at the gate.
Somehow it stung, the way your hand lingered just a little longer on the luggage tag that you had so carefully attached than it had on my own, which you had seemingly no problem letting go of moments before.
And I knew I lost you, not when you finally walked towards security, but when you never looked back.
