The Other Room

There was a smack when she left,

She didn’t remember wanting to leave,

It happened, Loud bang.

Cries of don’t go, a bit longer, one more drink, one more dance, one more slow warm inhale of the smiles, the chaotic revelry, the heartbreaking unspoken desires, the never quite ready wallflower moments.

The peace of leaving in the joy of it being over.

No more requests to care

No more energy

The letting go.

Books littered the walls, shelves behind shelves.

The history of all human observation, gazing through this glass was the first time she understood the cycles they’d recorded.

The constant widespread delicate explosions of knowledge earnt and lost,

The scent of those who’d danced in that very spot on the carpet, a familiar dimpled expression, never known.

She’d worn heels

For almost the entire thing, she was known for it

Her feet hurt and her back ached from the strain of this silhouette

But it had been worth it.

She could hear them speaking about her, muffled

That time she’d stolen her mums car,

Her teenage perfume,

The lipstick not uncommonly on her teeth,

The argument when she’d hit her boyfriend..

Her sudden exit, was he there?

“Play my favourite song” She was always singing it

They must have known it was from her

The party will go on, the dance forever

There was nothing but painful beauty.

How could she show them?

She put a lipstick in her mum’s handbag,

She pushed her perfume off a shelf

She moved her shoes out of the cupboard into the hallway

She sent a bird

It’s me

I’m here

I’m not gone

…I’m just in the next room

She watched the tired ones shuffle around, straining for the exit

There was a knock on the door,

A warm welcome

A soft glowing embrace

I’ll see you when you get here.