a few days
ago she found them.
they’d been sitting
in plain view
since before her
mom died.
well, not exactly
in plain view…
they were covered by
a couple of books,
but i could see
them from where i
sat every day,
working on our taj.
it helped
that i knew they
were there,
otherwise i probably
would have looked
past them as well.
but at two years
three months and
six days,
she found them.
i didn’t hesitate
when she said,
“oh! daddy!” in
that voice she
only uses when
she’s excited about something
(and she uses it a lot).
i lifted the books,
and pulled
out the box.
with a little help,
they were soon
liberated from the
plastic and held
tightly in her hands.
no longer did
they look like
choking hazards.
now,
they were gifts her
mom had intended
for her future daughter.
the daughter she
dreamed of
is here,
but she is not.
