She woke with butterfly
tumbling aflutter inside
what was to many just another day,
for Fay, it was weighted
her very self, her love depended on it
– ever since the accident
ever since then
she had hidden the ugly scarring
and the ugliness
mending her broken heart, and body
unable to mend her memory
or drive her imagination away
– she would have been 5 months old today
but it was just the car hitting a bystander
her body dragged across concrete
it was a life lost
– a life unknown to the world yet
but a world she meant to her and Mike.
Months it had been
but the rawness stayed, deepening
and at arms length she held
the one left in her world
the one who made it bearable despite her silence.
For months she’d kept him waiting
turning from his touch
but tonight he was returning after work away
and tonight she was going to change
step back into her past self
be a loving wife
though scared outside
but ready to heal inside.
So she spent the day
making dinner plans and lingerie
chilled bottle of champagne
and into the tub she went.

Somewhere in the house the phone rang
and Fay ignored it,
She had hours till he landed home.

In eagerness she dolled up,
and waited, as Mike had no doubt done
waiting for her to come around
what was a few hours compared
and minute by minute
clock ticked well into the night…