Suddenly,
the late nights didn't matter.
the laughter and joy and intimacy
were gone.
Not faded.
The fire burned it all away
before she even knew it'd been lit.
All at once,
she was cleaning up old photographs
and dusting off old memories.
It had become time to put those away.
She might be able to revisit them someday,
but for now it was best to quiet
them for a while.
Instantly,
he left.
She had no sooner taken a breath
than watched him walk away.
Vanish, really.
The decision was made.
The tears were worthless.
It was over now.
She could move on.