I slurped the last of my apple juice from the carton and coughed because I drank it way too fast

He smiled and used his thumb to wipe the juice from my chin

I love mornings like these when it was just the three of us eating japanese food until our tummies hurt

I love the way you translated the fortunes for me in broken bits of English because I only knew Spanish

That restaurant that closed down just six years ago held my entire childhood, the same halls I roamed crushed down

It was torn into nothing, the huge place that seemed like it was mine suddenly came crashing and it was forgotten

But not in my mind, it was alive all of these years and even though it hurts that it’s gone, I understood that it does not mean I need to forget it

I don’t think I could ever forget, the way my tummy hurt after a day of good food

The way my throat hurt after drinking my apple juice a little too fast

Or the way his thumbs would caress my face when my little cheeks were red from the embarrassment

How could I forget the way the japanese restaurant brought us together?

I could never forget, even if it’s gone.. even if you’re gone.

j