"The Tale" by Abigail Abdi

Two sit next together with inches between them on the orange seat

its fabric once held together is now frayed at the ends.

Time is the barrier. Time filled with the spaces of her mistakes and his broken promises

They catch up for a few minutes

How are you, I’m good

He has changed and so has she

But they do not bother to find out by how much

The rift is deep 

Maybe she imagines it

Maybe it is true

She wishes for

What?

For something to happen but nothing does and it is all left like that first moment

Back in the instant where they sit together,

separated by the reach 

Of unspoken words.