A kiss goodbye

He looked at her, his face twisted, brow furrowed “how’d I loose you?” he asked raising his hand, showing his palms only to let them fall back against his thighs.
“Darling” she said softly like the forgettable murmurs whispered between lovers in tangled sheets, stroking the side of his face like she was trying to even out the deep lines of worry that seemed to be permanently etched in “you never had me.”

He leaned into her touch wishing he could forget how to hear and only know how to feel so he may never have heard her saying what he deep down always knew, and only focus on her soft little hand on his cheek. But even then that was gone.

She watched him for a second and then took a tentative step closer, their bodies almost touching. He froze. She leaned in towards him standing on her toes raising her head slightly and paused, he didn’t move but he didn’t move away either.
She finished the short journey to his lips and fell into him, crushing her lips into his. The muscles in his back uncoiled and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her back. Too soon their lips unlocked for the last time, and they lingered. He rested his forehead on hers and inhaled, smelling the familiar scent of her apple shampoo before she stepped away.

“What was that?” he whispered, fearing to test his voice. She smiled a sad smile and replied: “That was goodbye.” And with that, she turned and left. As he watched her small frame slowly fade away down his street he smiled too. “Bye”