"It's Not The Way I Remember It"

Then,

It was cold, early evening

Dark, being Winter

Our breaths streamed white vapour trails

That faded with our words.

You weren’t unhappy

And we were together

But we weren’t all there was

And that made me ache.

After a while

I pulled out of the warm clinch

Of the arm in arm

You flinched

Looking suddenly exposed

“But it’s cold!”

I left you on your doorstep

The house was lit up

Christmas bright

Your lips were cold on my cheek

I had turned away

To leave my lips untainted.

“I’ll ring you.”

2 days later

When my need for you had made me weaken

I challenged your new, subtle withdrawal

Laughing you offered:

“It’s not the way I remember it”.

You then changed gear,

Began talking about Christmas inconsequential’s

To my burning ears.