I sat at the kitchen table

over a Blue Hawaiian,

which evaded perfectionism

over pushing through life alone.

Estella packed her shit,

took half the savings,

and told me the coin

she flipped landed

on the open road back

to Carolina.

North Carolina.

Estella settled on Spring Lake.

My father drank,

but I was nothing like him.

Maybe I should pick up

a bad habit.

It may break her heart

to know I’m shitfaced

over losing the warmth

of her love.

It could bring her back,

but most likely,

it’ll kill me instead.

Perhaps I should start

being the worst version

of myself.

My tears pooled

over the glass,

bringing me back to meeting her

at a waterfall in a southern state.

I pushed myself to my feet.

I buried my pride under the oak tree,

and headed to Carolina

where Estella had a candle-lit dinner,

wearing a T-shirt and jeans.

Estella’s long, red hair cascaded

to the small of her back,

spaghetti-stringy to die for.

Estella knew I couldn’t live

without her,

but I needed to show her more.

When I learned how to please her,

in shedding my judgment,

I found the good in me.

By Andy Cooper

From: United States

Website: https://drinkcoffeewrite.online/

Twitter: AC0040