“Does she need a lover
Or a brother
Or maybe the figure of a father?
Does she love me
Enough to
Put me above her
Every other?
Is she using me to buffer
The feedback from her mother?
I mean…”
This even – ing
He was contemplating
The merits of going home
Was it home
Was it just a covering
He shared with other bodies
Where he wasn’t all alone
That’s when
He saw the number on the phone
“Truth.”
He was silent after the greeting
Truth spoke
Evoked
Memories
That made him say
“Nice to hear your voice.
It’s been a long time
And no
The choice wasn’t fully mine.”
Truth interrupted
Hearing the doubt in his wording
urging
him to change his verse and
“Of course.
You crossed my mind
Yesterday.
If I love her
That’s not something I’m supposed to say.
I was thinking
Because of that we shouldn’t even be talking
But here we are anyway
Former lover.”
He could hear Truth laughing on the other side
Jokingly
Correcting him
Outspokenly
Admittedly he said
“It’s true.
Who doesn’t love Truth?
I guess you’re right.
It isn’t the same love.
Maybe it was a different feeling.
Maybe it was only your name.”
He smiled at the joke
Truth chuckled but only for a second
Then spoke
Gently
Quietly
He listened
He answered
“I understand what I represent
Figuratively.
Obligation
As I figured father
Would be
We agreed isn’t enough
For her to love m-“
Truth interrupted again
Then allowed him to continue
“I don’t know if I love her
And no
Her daughter isn’t the only reason I’m with her.
Outside of you
She’s the only one that gets me
And I get her.”
He had expected Truth
To say something
But instead there was silence
Giving him time to think
About his last thought
Caught
In his own truth