Love Story?

She watched.

Fingers linked with fingers in an easy hold
Elated smiles upon both their faces
They seemed to be without a care in the world
With eyes only for each other.

Yes, they were happy,
They could not, in their happiness,
See the woman standing alone
Sadness in her deep eyes.

To him, the past.
To her, a stranger.

And then, he beheld her.

He willed himself to look away
He could not afford to draw back
Could not afford to stop
And give her the gift of a smile.

She willed herself to look away
She could not afford to succumb now
Could not afford herself
The luxury of tears.

They went their separate ways
To meet nevermore
Or so she thought
Or so he hoped.

But they did, years later,
When young love’s sparkle had died out
Older, wiser, more mature,
But inside, still hurting.

And the sight of each other
Reopened old wounds
Brought back memories
They’d rather not remember.

But now, by his side,
An emptiness.
By hers,
A husband.

Greetings, polite smiles,
Eyes bright with unsaid words and unshed tears.
Calm composure, only to be broken
Later that night in the safety of their bathrooms.

And years later, still many years later,
A final chance meeting.
Now, an emptiness accompanied them both.
Alone together, yet not together.

Tears flowed.
Smiles no longer polite, only real.
And all the while, inside
A bubble of hope was growing larger.

The same train,
A three-day journey ahead
Shortened by the filling up
Of the gaps in their lives.

The fourth day, families were informed
A wedding was to take place.
A bride and groom, rather older, perhaps
Than usual.

Invitations, shopping,
Food,relatives,
A wedding in the family!
Excitement all around.

But for him, and for her,

It would be the second time.
And they wished, with all their hearts
That it had been the first.