"I Love You"

“I love you.”

He first said the words so carelessly and irresponsibly.

Or so I thought.

Silence.

I laid there. Unable to say them back.

Until one day,

“I love you”

Came out of my mouth.

To him.

I said it to him. And about him. I meant it but the words were green like eating pre-ripe fruit.

A green banana.

A bright orange persimmon.

A white raspberry

I was scared.

And I didn’t know how to admit those words.

Didn’t know if I could live up to them.

But he continued.

His daily sonnet.

            Confession.

His Patience.

And every time I felt it. Absorbed his words.

I hungered for them.

And he gave me life.

As time went on, as I said what I needed, I felt the taste change.

My words ripened.

“I love you.”

They caramelize in my mouth. Went down sweet.

Sugar.

Cream.

                        Heaven

                        is so close to those words.