Snow crunches under boots.
A full moon reaches down to greet us.
Hailstones litter the deck.
Ashes blaze in the bowl.
Hush, hear her breath,
See it burst forth, opaque.
Shoulders nudge.
I hold my hands to the fire.
As palms grow too warm, knuckles tremble, bitten by frigid air.
A puppy paws the door.
She breathes relief. Smoke rises, swirling.
We rise to free him.
He leaps, topples me, mops my cheeks with a tongue.
She bursts out.
She’s adorable.
I tell her how I see the world.
She tells me I’m cute.
I tell her I’m cold.
She scooches closer.
I look into her eyes with shame, and guilt.
She looks into mine with gentleness and understanding and forgiveness.
I can see all of that in her eyes.
She leans toward me, glances down at my barely-parted lips.
I try not to faint.
She breathes out, to the side, with a smile. Her breath is opaque.
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