the grey dress

there's a picture of me,
taped to his wall.
I remember when he took it.
I was wearing the grey dress, and the necklace he gave me. I was laughing at him, with the camera in his hand, laughing at me. he said that later, we'd look at it & smile. we'd remember our lives as they are now. how young & in love we are. he said we'd show our kids, that picture of me in the grey dress. with my childhood home in the background & the cat at my feet.
but I know him. I know his blue eyes & crooked smile like the back of my hand. I know he loves me, and I know the way he hates to promise what he can't.

& that picture on his wall, it's not a promise, but it's ok.
maybe he looks at it & remembers our life the day he took it. how young & in love we are. maybe he hears our laughter & gets butterflies thinking about the kiss & stolen glances that followed.

I fell in love with a boy afraid of unfulfilled promises. and he, he fell in love with a girl who has believed every one she's ever heard.
he says let what is be.
& I'm promising promises to him, everyday.
Promises he's never been promised before. and I don't know if that's being naive or bold or just completely & utterly stupid. time & love are fickle things.
but when it comes to him...
forever doesn't seem so long.

forever. what an incredibly delicate thing to promise.