nightlight, night, light, love, question
She didn’t tell him how her eyes burned and how the tears dwelling behind them ached to soothe the soreness. He couldn’t possibly understand that something so simple could tear her mind in two and threaten her heart next. So, she swallowed the sour vile teasing her throat, let it take her thoughts with it. They’re safe down there cycling her insides. For now. She knows that ‘cycle’ means they’ll always end up back in the same spot. Saying those profound words would be as easy as chewing on razors, letting him listen would be like swallowing pins. How could she ever let him know her? There are some things no one should ever be able to know about another person. Especially if they love each other.
He pleaded, “Tell me.”
She denied with a simple, “Nope.”
“You don’t trust me.”
“Yes, I do. I don’t want to ruin that trust.”
“You won’t.”
“You can say that now while you’re still in the dark, but things change once you turn the light on.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you’re in the dark you can still guess at what you’re looking at, at what is looking at you. You can pretend that there is nothing there at all and sometimes that’s just the case, but once that light illuminates the room you’re forced to see what is actually there. And then you know. Then everything changes, for better or for worse. But it changes. And you can’t ever go back, it’s a switch that can’t be turned off again, a light that won’t ever burn out.”
“What if I’m scared of the dark?”
“Pretend there is nothing to be scared of.”
“Can I at least have a night light?”
“Yes.”
She touched her nose to his and kissed his soft pink lips, he pressed into her, subtly urging for more. She pulled away and stared at the hope pouring from his eyes, at the worry trickled across his face like a soft dust, he signaled with his brow ‘well, tell me then!’ So she smiled and wiped her soft hand down the side of his cheek.
“Night light; I love you. And that is all you need to know.”